In a shocking upset, Susan Boyle did not win Britain's Got Talent.
The Scottish singing sensation, 48, landed in second place after losing out in Saturday's finale to the all-male British dance troupe Diversity. (They won the $160,000 prize and will perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen.)
"The best people won," Boyle said. "They are very entertaining lads. I wish you all the best."
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Despite the loss, judge Simon Cowell said Boyle has "come out of this very well. We've never had a runner-up like Susan Boyle before. She's won over a lot of fans tonight through her graciousness. She's a really sweet person. She has a massive future ahead of her."
For the show's finale, Boyle performed "I Dreamed A Dream" from the musical Les Miserables - the same number she sang during her audition that won over millions and millions of fans. After she was done, she received a standing ovation.
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"That to me was THE greatest performance I've seen in Britain's Got Talent history... you should win. I loved it," judge Piers Morgan told Boyle as she walked away.
Judge Amanda Holden was almost brought to tears.
"You did it girl, you did it for Scotland," she said. "Can I just say, Simon had a tear in his eye."
The past few days leading up to the finale have been bumpy for Boyle. She had a curse-filled outburst in London this past week and even threatened to leave the show due to all the pressure. But looking back on the experience, Boyle said Saturday: "What a journey. Unbelievable, very humbling."
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Oil Is Plentiful, Demand Weak. Why Are Gas Prices Going Up?
Storage tankers across the globe may be brimming with oil that no one is buying because of the global economic downturn, but the traditional laws of supply and demand don't always apply to oil prices. Drivers have faced rising prices at the gas pump in recent months, as investors and oil-producing countries hoard supplies in anticipation of a global economic recovery later this year.
The 12 member countries of the OPEC cartel voted in Vienna on Thursday to maintain output at current levels rather than increase supplies in order to bring some relief to consumers, particularly in the gas-guzzling West. The OPEC oil ministers, whose countries account for about 40% of the world's entire crude-oil supply, also renewed their commitment to stick to their agreed quotas, rather than ship extra oil, as they began doing last April when several members ignored their agreed output limits. OPEC leaders, many of whose economies are heavily dependent on oil exports, have struggled to stabilize prices at a level that suits their own economic needs amid falling demand and rising supplies. Prices had rocketed to a record level of $147 a barrel last July before plummeting to $30 just five months later and beginning a new climb. (See pictures of South Africa's oil-from-coal refinery.)
Oil analysts believe OPEC's decisions on Thursday could help push oil prices even higher; oil futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange have risen 36% in just two months, to about $63.46 a barrel on Thursday. And that appears to be on track to achieve targets set by OPEC leaders. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi - OPEC's key power player - said Wednesday that oil prices ought to rise to between $75 and $80 a barrel by the end of the year. "Demand is picking up, especially in Asia," he told reporters puffing alongside him as he jogged through the streets of Vienna. "The price rise is a function of optimism that better things are coming in the future."
The economic recovery Naimi so optimistically predicts would certainly be vital to oil-producing countries, whose own economies would be imperiled by a drawn-out recession. Oil demand in rich countries has crashed since the onset of the economic crisis last year, and is now at its lowest level since about 1981, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. U.S. oil inventories - the stored surplus - this month reached their highest level since the 1980s. And about 2.6 billion barrels are currently stored in commercial tankers around the world. "There is some risk we will run out of storage space in the next four to six weeks," says Simon Wardell, director of global oil at IHS Global Insight, an energy-forecasting company in London. To oil-rich countries that possibility evokes grim memories of 1998, when the Asian economic crisis sent demand plummeting, driving world oil prices down to $10 a barrel. "If we run out of storage it could prompt a collapse in the price," says Wardell. Oil producers might then choose to dramatically cut output in order to run down the surplus. (See pictures from Azerbaijan's oil boom.)
Despite such dangers, investors and oil producers are betting that global demand will roar back, apparently hoping that the recession has already hit bottom. Over the past two months, investors have plowed billions of dollars into oil futures. If the U.S. and other major industrial economies rebound, oil supplies could be depleted because the recession has prompted producer nations to freeze hundreds of projects to open new oil wells or upgrade existing ones. In the oil-rich Niger Delta, a major Nigerian government offensive against rebels has seriously disrupted production for several weeks. Venezuela's Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said in Vienna that his country could not afford to invest in major new oil exploration unless prices rise further. "We need a level of at least $70 [a barrel] to recuperate investment," he said on Thursday. Muhammad-Ali Zainy, senior energy analyst at the Center for Global Energy Studies in London, says oil demand could increase quickly once the recession ends, especially as China has begun to build up its strategic oil reserves. "We think the price is going to go up gradually," says Zainy.
For those feeling the pain at the gas pumps, however, there is one piece of good news. Oil is unlikely to hit $147 a barrel again - at least not during the coming decades. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday that oil prices would likely rise to $110 a barrel by 2015 and $130 a barrel by 2030. By that time the world oil markets might once again follow the normal rules of economics.
The 12 member countries of the OPEC cartel voted in Vienna on Thursday to maintain output at current levels rather than increase supplies in order to bring some relief to consumers, particularly in the gas-guzzling West. The OPEC oil ministers, whose countries account for about 40% of the world's entire crude-oil supply, also renewed their commitment to stick to their agreed quotas, rather than ship extra oil, as they began doing last April when several members ignored their agreed output limits. OPEC leaders, many of whose economies are heavily dependent on oil exports, have struggled to stabilize prices at a level that suits their own economic needs amid falling demand and rising supplies. Prices had rocketed to a record level of $147 a barrel last July before plummeting to $30 just five months later and beginning a new climb. (See pictures of South Africa's oil-from-coal refinery.)
Oil analysts believe OPEC's decisions on Thursday could help push oil prices even higher; oil futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange have risen 36% in just two months, to about $63.46 a barrel on Thursday. And that appears to be on track to achieve targets set by OPEC leaders. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi - OPEC's key power player - said Wednesday that oil prices ought to rise to between $75 and $80 a barrel by the end of the year. "Demand is picking up, especially in Asia," he told reporters puffing alongside him as he jogged through the streets of Vienna. "The price rise is a function of optimism that better things are coming in the future."
The economic recovery Naimi so optimistically predicts would certainly be vital to oil-producing countries, whose own economies would be imperiled by a drawn-out recession. Oil demand in rich countries has crashed since the onset of the economic crisis last year, and is now at its lowest level since about 1981, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. U.S. oil inventories - the stored surplus - this month reached their highest level since the 1980s. And about 2.6 billion barrels are currently stored in commercial tankers around the world. "There is some risk we will run out of storage space in the next four to six weeks," says Simon Wardell, director of global oil at IHS Global Insight, an energy-forecasting company in London. To oil-rich countries that possibility evokes grim memories of 1998, when the Asian economic crisis sent demand plummeting, driving world oil prices down to $10 a barrel. "If we run out of storage it could prompt a collapse in the price," says Wardell. Oil producers might then choose to dramatically cut output in order to run down the surplus. (See pictures from Azerbaijan's oil boom.)
Despite such dangers, investors and oil producers are betting that global demand will roar back, apparently hoping that the recession has already hit bottom. Over the past two months, investors have plowed billions of dollars into oil futures. If the U.S. and other major industrial economies rebound, oil supplies could be depleted because the recession has prompted producer nations to freeze hundreds of projects to open new oil wells or upgrade existing ones. In the oil-rich Niger Delta, a major Nigerian government offensive against rebels has seriously disrupted production for several weeks. Venezuela's Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said in Vienna that his country could not afford to invest in major new oil exploration unless prices rise further. "We need a level of at least $70 [a barrel] to recuperate investment," he said on Thursday. Muhammad-Ali Zainy, senior energy analyst at the Center for Global Energy Studies in London, says oil demand could increase quickly once the recession ends, especially as China has begun to build up its strategic oil reserves. "We think the price is going to go up gradually," says Zainy.
For those feeling the pain at the gas pumps, however, there is one piece of good news. Oil is unlikely to hit $147 a barrel again - at least not during the coming decades. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday that oil prices would likely rise to $110 a barrel by 2015 and $130 a barrel by 2030. By that time the world oil markets might once again follow the normal rules of economics.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Mel Gibson's Girlfriend Is Pregnant
It's official: Mel Gibson's girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, is pregnant.
The actor confirmed the news during a taping of NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno to air tonight.
"I guess Im 'Octo-Mel,'" says Gibson, who already has seven kids with his wife of 28 years, Robyn.
Robyn filed for divorce six weeks ago amidst speculation that Grigorieva, a singer on Gibson's record label, was expecting a child.
"My wife and I, our marriage ended three years ago and weve been separated ever since then," Gibson tells Leno. "These things happen. It's unfortunate, it's sad, but you know she is an admirable woman -- we still got kids together, we're friends.
"Look," Gibson continues. "When it's all said and done, I did a pretty good hatchet job on my marriage myself. I'm to blame. If you're inclined to judge, put it here."
Gibson also says his separation from Robyn had nothing to do with Grigorieva, whom he didn't meet until 2008.
When asked by Leno if they would wed, Gibson says: "Why would you get married twice?"
According to reports, Grigorieva is in her second trimester and due this fall.
Grigorieva, 38, and Gibson, 53, came out publicly as a couple at the April 29 premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Los Angeles.
The duo became close after Grigorieva was hired to compose a song on Gibson's thriller, Edge of Darkness, which filmed last summer in Massachusetts.
"They would come out and attempt to walk around separately, but then at the end of the day, they both returned to the same hotel," an on-set source told Us Weekly. "She was there on and off for a week, but it was clear she had no business there other than to be with Mel."
Grigorieva has a son with actor Timothy Dalton.
Gibson -- worth about $900 million -- and his wife have no prenuptial agreement. Their divorce settlement could be the largest in history because, under California law, community property (including income) is divided 50/50.
The actor confirmed the news during a taping of NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno to air tonight.
"I guess Im 'Octo-Mel,'" says Gibson, who already has seven kids with his wife of 28 years, Robyn.
Robyn filed for divorce six weeks ago amidst speculation that Grigorieva, a singer on Gibson's record label, was expecting a child.
"My wife and I, our marriage ended three years ago and weve been separated ever since then," Gibson tells Leno. "These things happen. It's unfortunate, it's sad, but you know she is an admirable woman -- we still got kids together, we're friends.
"Look," Gibson continues. "When it's all said and done, I did a pretty good hatchet job on my marriage myself. I'm to blame. If you're inclined to judge, put it here."
Gibson also says his separation from Robyn had nothing to do with Grigorieva, whom he didn't meet until 2008.
When asked by Leno if they would wed, Gibson says: "Why would you get married twice?"
According to reports, Grigorieva is in her second trimester and due this fall.
Grigorieva, 38, and Gibson, 53, came out publicly as a couple at the April 29 premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Los Angeles.
The duo became close after Grigorieva was hired to compose a song on Gibson's thriller, Edge of Darkness, which filmed last summer in Massachusetts.
"They would come out and attempt to walk around separately, but then at the end of the day, they both returned to the same hotel," an on-set source told Us Weekly. "She was there on and off for a week, but it was clear she had no business there other than to be with Mel."
Grigorieva has a son with actor Timothy Dalton.
Gibson -- worth about $900 million -- and his wife have no prenuptial agreement. Their divorce settlement could be the largest in history because, under California law, community property (including income) is divided 50/50.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
No such thing as "deleted" on the Internet
It's always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself.
Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL to the picture is (the actual photo, not the page on which the photo resides), and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.
Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University (so you know this is legit, people!) have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.
Why do "deleted" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service simultaneously. (Yahoo! Tech is served by dozens of servers, for example.) But because changes aren't reflected across the CDN immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.
In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually "after a short period of time." Though obviously that time can vary considerably.
Of course, once a photo escapes from the walled garden of a social network like Facebook, the chances of deleting it permanently fall even further. Google's caching system is remarkably efficient at archiving copies of web content, long after it's removed from the web. Anyone who's ever used Google Image Search can likely tell you a story about clicking on a thumbnail image, only to find that the image has been deleted from the website in question -- yet the thumbnail remains on Google for months. And then there are services like the Wayback Machine, which copy entire websites for posterity, archiving data and pictures forever.
The lesson: Those drunken party photos you don't want people to see? Simply don't upload them to the web, ever, because trying to delete them after you sober up is a tough proposition.
Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL to the picture is (the actual photo, not the page on which the photo resides), and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.
Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University (so you know this is legit, people!) have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.
Why do "deleted" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service simultaneously. (Yahoo! Tech is served by dozens of servers, for example.) But because changes aren't reflected across the CDN immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.
In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually "after a short period of time." Though obviously that time can vary considerably.
Of course, once a photo escapes from the walled garden of a social network like Facebook, the chances of deleting it permanently fall even further. Google's caching system is remarkably efficient at archiving copies of web content, long after it's removed from the web. Anyone who's ever used Google Image Search can likely tell you a story about clicking on a thumbnail image, only to find that the image has been deleted from the website in question -- yet the thumbnail remains on Google for months. And then there are services like the Wayback Machine, which copy entire websites for posterity, archiving data and pictures forever.
The lesson: Those drunken party photos you don't want people to see? Simply don't upload them to the web, ever, because trying to delete them after you sober up is a tough proposition.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Trump on Trump: Testimony Offers Glimpse of How He Values His Empire
Worth Rises, Falls 'With Markets and Attitudes And With Feelings, Even My Own Feeling'
It's one of the great mysteries of the business world: How much is Donald Trump really worth?
The world famous real-estate developer and television personality has consistently said it's in the billions. A 2005 book citing anonymous sources said it was between $150 million and $250 million. Mr. Trump sued the writer for defamation. He alleged damage to his reputation that caused him to lose out on future deals in locales from Philadelphia to Kiev.
A hearing in that case will take place Monday in a state court in Camden, N.J. As part of the proceedings, the Donald, as he's known to fans and detractors alike, has provided under oath the secrets to how he values his wealth and treasure. In one case, he says, he does "mental projections."
"My net worth fluctuates, and it goes up and down with markets and with attitudes and with feelings, even my own feeling," he told lawyers in the December 2007 deposition.
The deposition, marked "Confidential," comes to light at a time when some of Mr. Trump's projects, including several condominium developments that bear his name, are struggling. Among the problems are anemic sales, lawsuits, sharp declines in value and troubles with creditors.
In a telephone interview Sunday, Mr. Trump disputed that these are tough times for him. "We have a lot of cash right now. We're starting to buy things," he said while taking a break from playing golf at a Trump course in Bedminster, N.J. He said he stood by the statements he made in the deposition.
In the deposition, given to lawyers representing the book's author, Timothy O'Brien, and its publisher, a unit of French-based Lagardere SCA, Mr. Trump described his public persona. "I'm not different from a politician running for office," he said.
In the deposition, Mr. Trump said that his 2007 estimate of his net worth -- over $4 billion -- is "a very conservative number, in my opinion." He also said $6 billion is a good number, counting his brand value. (In the interview Sunday, he said he was worth $5 billion, not counting brand value.)
Mr. Trump was asked whether he has ever exaggerated in statements about his properties. "I think everybody does," he said in the deposition. "Who wouldn't?"
A follow-up question: Does that mean he inflates the value of his properties in general, nonfinancial public statements? "Not beyond reason," he said in the testimony.
The deposition reveals he told his bankers and New Jersey casino authorities in 2004 and 2005 that he was worth approximately $3.6 billion. In 2005, Deutsche Bank evaluated his net worth as part of underwriting a $640 million construction loan it made to Mr. Trump's Chicago condo and hotel project. The bank said his worth was $788 million, according to information presented by the author's lawyers present during Mr. Trump's deposition.
In his testimony, Mr. Trump discounted that and other low-ball evaluations as "ridiculous." And he noted, "They [Deutsche Bank] still come up with numbers that are many times" what the book's author, Mr. O'Brien, reported. In his interview Sunday, he said Deutsche Bank looked at some of his assets, not all of them, and didn't do independent appraisals. A Deutsche Bank spokesman couldn't be reached.
Mr. Trump said Sunday that Mr. O'Brien, author of "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald," will "wish he never heard of that God damn book" and predicted that "the publishing company will pay me hundreds of millions of dollars" as a result of the suit.
Mr. O'Brien, who is an editor at the New York Times, declined to comment through his attorney, citing the ongoing litigation.
In the deposition, Mr. Trump discussed how he determined the value of a residential development on old rail yards on Manhattan's west side. According to the deposition, when a newsletter reporter writing about the project's 2005 sale for $1.8 billion said Mr. Trump had a "small interest," Mr. Trump wrote him a note. "You're a real loser. Thanks for the nice story. Is 50% small?"
But Mr. Trump had a 30% limited-partnership interest in the project, according to legal documents. A group of Hong Kong investors were the owners. Asked about this during the deposition, Mr. Trump explained that, in his eyes, he owned half because he gets paid fees for managing the buildings and because he didn't have to put up cash in the deal. "In my own mind I've always felt that," he said. "That 30% is equated to 50%," he said. In his interview Sunday, Mr. Trump said he had owned the equivalent of "more than 50%."
Mr. Trump often licenses his name to other developers in return for a fee or a cut of the sales. During the deposition, Mr. O'Brien's lawyer, Andrew Ceresney, noted that Mr. Trump had claimed publicly that he had a major ownership in one such project.
For example, in a November 2007 Wall Street Journal interview cited by Mr. Ceresney, Mr. Trump said he had sold out units at an eponymous condo-hotel project in Hawaii. "The building is largely owned by me," he said in the interview. But in the deposition, Mr. Ceresney produced the licensing agreement for the project. Mr. Trump wasn't a major equity holder in the project, it showed, a fact Mr. Trump didn't dispute.
"Because this is such a strong licensing agreement that I consider it to be a form of ownership," Mr. Trump said. "I'd rather have this than own the building," he said. Moments later he said: "I would say that it could be interpreted to be a form of ownership in the building."
In the deposition, Mr. Trump is asked about the Bedminster, N.J. golf course, which financial statements showed had a net loss of $4.6 million in 2005. Has he ever done a financial analysis of his investment there?
"Yes, I've done mental projections," he said, figuring he'd eventually make $120 million. He never put them down on paper. "You don't really have to," he said. Mr. Ceresney, asks: "Have you discounted in your mind for the risk that you won't sell [memberships] at the prices you are anticipating?"
"I think I will, but it's possible I won't. But I think I will," Mr. Trump said.
At one point during the deposition, Mr. Trump explained the importance of putting his projects in the best light possible. "Would you like me to say, oh, gee, the building is not doing well, blah, blah, blah, come by, the building -- nobody talks that way. Who would ever talk that way?"
It's one of the great mysteries of the business world: How much is Donald Trump really worth?
The world famous real-estate developer and television personality has consistently said it's in the billions. A 2005 book citing anonymous sources said it was between $150 million and $250 million. Mr. Trump sued the writer for defamation. He alleged damage to his reputation that caused him to lose out on future deals in locales from Philadelphia to Kiev.
A hearing in that case will take place Monday in a state court in Camden, N.J. As part of the proceedings, the Donald, as he's known to fans and detractors alike, has provided under oath the secrets to how he values his wealth and treasure. In one case, he says, he does "mental projections."
"My net worth fluctuates, and it goes up and down with markets and with attitudes and with feelings, even my own feeling," he told lawyers in the December 2007 deposition.
The deposition, marked "Confidential," comes to light at a time when some of Mr. Trump's projects, including several condominium developments that bear his name, are struggling. Among the problems are anemic sales, lawsuits, sharp declines in value and troubles with creditors.
In a telephone interview Sunday, Mr. Trump disputed that these are tough times for him. "We have a lot of cash right now. We're starting to buy things," he said while taking a break from playing golf at a Trump course in Bedminster, N.J. He said he stood by the statements he made in the deposition.
In the deposition, given to lawyers representing the book's author, Timothy O'Brien, and its publisher, a unit of French-based Lagardere SCA, Mr. Trump described his public persona. "I'm not different from a politician running for office," he said.
In the deposition, Mr. Trump said that his 2007 estimate of his net worth -- over $4 billion -- is "a very conservative number, in my opinion." He also said $6 billion is a good number, counting his brand value. (In the interview Sunday, he said he was worth $5 billion, not counting brand value.)
Mr. Trump was asked whether he has ever exaggerated in statements about his properties. "I think everybody does," he said in the deposition. "Who wouldn't?"
A follow-up question: Does that mean he inflates the value of his properties in general, nonfinancial public statements? "Not beyond reason," he said in the testimony.
The deposition reveals he told his bankers and New Jersey casino authorities in 2004 and 2005 that he was worth approximately $3.6 billion. In 2005, Deutsche Bank evaluated his net worth as part of underwriting a $640 million construction loan it made to Mr. Trump's Chicago condo and hotel project. The bank said his worth was $788 million, according to information presented by the author's lawyers present during Mr. Trump's deposition.
In his testimony, Mr. Trump discounted that and other low-ball evaluations as "ridiculous." And he noted, "They [Deutsche Bank] still come up with numbers that are many times" what the book's author, Mr. O'Brien, reported. In his interview Sunday, he said Deutsche Bank looked at some of his assets, not all of them, and didn't do independent appraisals. A Deutsche Bank spokesman couldn't be reached.
Mr. Trump said Sunday that Mr. O'Brien, author of "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald," will "wish he never heard of that God damn book" and predicted that "the publishing company will pay me hundreds of millions of dollars" as a result of the suit.
Mr. O'Brien, who is an editor at the New York Times, declined to comment through his attorney, citing the ongoing litigation.
In the deposition, Mr. Trump discussed how he determined the value of a residential development on old rail yards on Manhattan's west side. According to the deposition, when a newsletter reporter writing about the project's 2005 sale for $1.8 billion said Mr. Trump had a "small interest," Mr. Trump wrote him a note. "You're a real loser. Thanks for the nice story. Is 50% small?"
But Mr. Trump had a 30% limited-partnership interest in the project, according to legal documents. A group of Hong Kong investors were the owners. Asked about this during the deposition, Mr. Trump explained that, in his eyes, he owned half because he gets paid fees for managing the buildings and because he didn't have to put up cash in the deal. "In my own mind I've always felt that," he said. "That 30% is equated to 50%," he said. In his interview Sunday, Mr. Trump said he had owned the equivalent of "more than 50%."
Mr. Trump often licenses his name to other developers in return for a fee or a cut of the sales. During the deposition, Mr. O'Brien's lawyer, Andrew Ceresney, noted that Mr. Trump had claimed publicly that he had a major ownership in one such project.
For example, in a November 2007 Wall Street Journal interview cited by Mr. Ceresney, Mr. Trump said he had sold out units at an eponymous condo-hotel project in Hawaii. "The building is largely owned by me," he said in the interview. But in the deposition, Mr. Ceresney produced the licensing agreement for the project. Mr. Trump wasn't a major equity holder in the project, it showed, a fact Mr. Trump didn't dispute.
"Because this is such a strong licensing agreement that I consider it to be a form of ownership," Mr. Trump said. "I'd rather have this than own the building," he said. Moments later he said: "I would say that it could be interpreted to be a form of ownership in the building."
In the deposition, Mr. Trump is asked about the Bedminster, N.J. golf course, which financial statements showed had a net loss of $4.6 million in 2005. Has he ever done a financial analysis of his investment there?
"Yes, I've done mental projections," he said, figuring he'd eventually make $120 million. He never put them down on paper. "You don't really have to," he said. Mr. Ceresney, asks: "Have you discounted in your mind for the risk that you won't sell [memberships] at the prices you are anticipating?"
"I think I will, but it's possible I won't. But I think I will," Mr. Trump said.
At one point during the deposition, Mr. Trump explained the importance of putting his projects in the best light possible. "Would you like me to say, oh, gee, the building is not doing well, blah, blah, blah, come by, the building -- nobody talks that way. Who would ever talk that way?"
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Man who fled chemo may be with missing teen
13-year-old boy fled with mom after court ordered him to undergo chemo
NEW ULM, Minn. - The man authorities believe could be with a Minnesota teenager who ran away to avoid chemotherapy did the same thing more than a decade ago in Massachusetts.
Officials believe Billy Joe Best could be traveling with 13-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mother. The Hausers allegedly fled New Ulm, Minn., after a court-ordered medical exam showed his Hodgkin’s lymphoma had worsened.
In 1994, 16-year-old Best ran away to avoid having more chemotherapy to fight his Hodgkin’s disease. He returned after three weeks in Houston when his parents promised they would not force him to have the treatments.
Best has claimed his cancer was cured by natural remedies. His parents, Sue and Bill Best of East Bridgewater, did not immediately return a phone message.
Daniel Hauser and his mother, Colleen Hauser, apparently left their southern Minnesota home sometime after a doctor’s appointment and court-ordered X-ray on Monday showed his tumor had grown.
Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg, who had ruled last week that Daniel’s parents were medically neglecting him, issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for Colleen Hauser and ruled her in contempt of court. Rodenberg also ordered that Daniel be placed in foster care and immediately evaluated by a cancer specialist for treatment.
The family belongs to a religious group that believes in “natural” healing methods. Daniel has testified he believed chemotherapy would kill him and told the judge that if anyone tried to force him to take it, “I’d fight it. I’d punch them and I’d kick them.”
The boy’s father, Anthony Hauser, testified he didn’t know where his wife and son were but had made no attempt to find them. He testified he last saw his son Monday morning, and he saw his wife only briefly that evening when she said she was leaving “for a time.”
Officials distributed the arrest warrant nationwide. Brown County Sheriff Rich Hoffman said Tuesday that investigators were following some leads locally, but declined to elaborate. A crime alert said the Hausers might be with Susan Daya, also known as Susan Hamwi, a California attorney who accompanied them to a medical appointment Monday, or with a man named Billy Joe Best.
Best appeared at a news conference held by the family in early May to say he supported the Hausers. Best, who said he was from Boston, told The Journal of New Ulm then that he had also been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma as a teenager but was cured by natural remedies.
In an interview Wednesday at his family farm in Sleepy Eye, Anthony Hauser said he hadn’t heard from his wife or Daniel since they left. He said he has some ideas where they might have gone, and he’s shared them with authorities.
He said he thinks his wife just got scared when they got the results of the X-ray on Monday, and thought Brown County authorities would use it to try to get custody of Daniel.
“It’s just my opinion, but I think she figured that because of that X-ray she feared they were going to take him,” he said.
He said he doesn’t oppose chemotherapy “if it’s a necessary thing,” but thinks doctors use it too much.
He wonders why Brown County authorities got involved.
“I don’t know why they started this situation in the first place,” he said. “Why does someone believe they have the right over your child?”
Daniel’s Hodgkin’s lymphoma, diagnosed in January, is considered highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but the boy quit chemo after a single treatment.
The judge has said Daniel, who has a learning disability and cannot read, did not understand the risks and benefits of chemotherapy and didn’t believe he was ill.
The Hausers are Roman Catholic and also believe in the “do no harm” philosophy of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods advocated by some American Indians. Colleen Hauser testified earlier that she had been treating his cancer with herbal supplements, vitamins, ionized water and other natural alternatives.
The founder of Nemenhah, Philip Cloudpiler Landis, said it was a bad idea for Colleen Hauser to flee with her son. “You don’t solve anything by disregarding the order of the judge,” Landis said.
The family’s doctor, James Joyce, testified by telephone that he examined Daniel on Monday, and that an X-ray showed his tumor had grown to the size it was when he was first diagnosed.
“He had basically gotten back all the trouble he had in January,” the doctor said.
Joyce testified that he offered to make appointments for Daniel with oncologists, but the Hausers declined, then left in a rush with Daya, the California lawyer. “Under Susan Daya’s urging, they indicated they had other places to go,” Joyce said.
Daya did not immediately respond to a call Tuesday from The Associated Press.
Minnesota statutes require parents to provide necessary medical care for a child, Rodenberg wrote. The statutes say alternative and complementary health care methods aren’t enough.
NEW ULM, Minn. - The man authorities believe could be with a Minnesota teenager who ran away to avoid chemotherapy did the same thing more than a decade ago in Massachusetts.
Officials believe Billy Joe Best could be traveling with 13-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mother. The Hausers allegedly fled New Ulm, Minn., after a court-ordered medical exam showed his Hodgkin’s lymphoma had worsened.
In 1994, 16-year-old Best ran away to avoid having more chemotherapy to fight his Hodgkin’s disease. He returned after three weeks in Houston when his parents promised they would not force him to have the treatments.
Best has claimed his cancer was cured by natural remedies. His parents, Sue and Bill Best of East Bridgewater, did not immediately return a phone message.
Daniel Hauser and his mother, Colleen Hauser, apparently left their southern Minnesota home sometime after a doctor’s appointment and court-ordered X-ray on Monday showed his tumor had grown.
Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg, who had ruled last week that Daniel’s parents were medically neglecting him, issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for Colleen Hauser and ruled her in contempt of court. Rodenberg also ordered that Daniel be placed in foster care and immediately evaluated by a cancer specialist for treatment.
The family belongs to a religious group that believes in “natural” healing methods. Daniel has testified he believed chemotherapy would kill him and told the judge that if anyone tried to force him to take it, “I’d fight it. I’d punch them and I’d kick them.”
The boy’s father, Anthony Hauser, testified he didn’t know where his wife and son were but had made no attempt to find them. He testified he last saw his son Monday morning, and he saw his wife only briefly that evening when she said she was leaving “for a time.”
Officials distributed the arrest warrant nationwide. Brown County Sheriff Rich Hoffman said Tuesday that investigators were following some leads locally, but declined to elaborate. A crime alert said the Hausers might be with Susan Daya, also known as Susan Hamwi, a California attorney who accompanied them to a medical appointment Monday, or with a man named Billy Joe Best.
Best appeared at a news conference held by the family in early May to say he supported the Hausers. Best, who said he was from Boston, told The Journal of New Ulm then that he had also been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma as a teenager but was cured by natural remedies.
In an interview Wednesday at his family farm in Sleepy Eye, Anthony Hauser said he hadn’t heard from his wife or Daniel since they left. He said he has some ideas where they might have gone, and he’s shared them with authorities.
He said he thinks his wife just got scared when they got the results of the X-ray on Monday, and thought Brown County authorities would use it to try to get custody of Daniel.
“It’s just my opinion, but I think she figured that because of that X-ray she feared they were going to take him,” he said.
He said he doesn’t oppose chemotherapy “if it’s a necessary thing,” but thinks doctors use it too much.
He wonders why Brown County authorities got involved.
“I don’t know why they started this situation in the first place,” he said. “Why does someone believe they have the right over your child?”
Daniel’s Hodgkin’s lymphoma, diagnosed in January, is considered highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but the boy quit chemo after a single treatment.
The judge has said Daniel, who has a learning disability and cannot read, did not understand the risks and benefits of chemotherapy and didn’t believe he was ill.
The Hausers are Roman Catholic and also believe in the “do no harm” philosophy of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods advocated by some American Indians. Colleen Hauser testified earlier that she had been treating his cancer with herbal supplements, vitamins, ionized water and other natural alternatives.
The founder of Nemenhah, Philip Cloudpiler Landis, said it was a bad idea for Colleen Hauser to flee with her son. “You don’t solve anything by disregarding the order of the judge,” Landis said.
The family’s doctor, James Joyce, testified by telephone that he examined Daniel on Monday, and that an X-ray showed his tumor had grown to the size it was when he was first diagnosed.
“He had basically gotten back all the trouble he had in January,” the doctor said.
Joyce testified that he offered to make appointments for Daniel with oncologists, but the Hausers declined, then left in a rush with Daya, the California lawyer. “Under Susan Daya’s urging, they indicated they had other places to go,” Joyce said.
Daya did not immediately respond to a call Tuesday from The Associated Press.
Minnesota statutes require parents to provide necessary medical care for a child, Rodenberg wrote. The statutes say alternative and complementary health care methods aren’t enough.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Boy, 11, on trek to help homeless kids
The first five days of walking are the toughest for Zach Bonner, 11, no matter how hard he trains. The Florida boy's feet ache, his tummy rumbles, his legs stiffen.
But the young philanthropist is on a mission to help homeless children, and after several days of walking at least 11 miles per day, he loosens up and the pain subsides. "I want to help other kids that didn't have the same opportunities," he says.
Zach, who founded the Little Red Wagon Foundation in 2005 to help homeless and underprivileged children, started a 668-mile hike from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., last week. Along the way, Zach is collecting letters from children that he hopes to give President Obama in July.
He has raised about $35,000 for this portion of the walk so far, he says.
The previous two walks — from Tampa to Tallahassee in 2007 and from Tallahassee to Atlanta in 2008 — brought in about $42,000 total.
"These kids don't have a home, they don't have a safe place to sleep at night," he says. "They're out on the streets not because they want to be, but because it's out of their control."
The National Center on Family Homelessness estimates that 1.5 million children are homeless in the USA at some point each year. "It's getting worse … because of the depth of the economic recession and the staggering numbers of housing foreclosures nationally," President Ellen Bassuk says.
Zach's push to help other kids began after Hurricane Charley hit Florida in 2004. He went door to door with his wagon to collect water, tarps and other supplies. He collected 27 pick-up truck loads of supplies, he says. "To continue helping kids more efficiently," he says, he and his mother established his foundation in 2005.
Since then, he has thrown holiday parties for kids living in hurricane FEMA trailers and filled about 2,000 backpacks with food, toiletries, candy and toys for homeless children.
Zach, who lives in Valrico, Fla., is in fifth grade. He walks 11 to 13 miles each day with his mother, Laurie Bonner, 43. His sister usually drives a car ahead of them. They sleep in a donated recreational vehicle.
Laurie says "it makes him so happy when he finishes a project and sees all the kids." Zach's progress is tracked at www.LittleRedWagonFoundation.com. Children can e-mail letters for Zach to take to Washington to letterstopres@aol.com.
"He is a very unusual young man," says Deborah Shore, executive director of Sasha Bruce Youthwork in Washington, D.C., which provides services for runaway and homeless teenagers, including a shelter.
"Even as a very young person, he has been able to … make a difference."
But the young philanthropist is on a mission to help homeless children, and after several days of walking at least 11 miles per day, he loosens up and the pain subsides. "I want to help other kids that didn't have the same opportunities," he says.
Zach, who founded the Little Red Wagon Foundation in 2005 to help homeless and underprivileged children, started a 668-mile hike from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., last week. Along the way, Zach is collecting letters from children that he hopes to give President Obama in July.
He has raised about $35,000 for this portion of the walk so far, he says.
The previous two walks — from Tampa to Tallahassee in 2007 and from Tallahassee to Atlanta in 2008 — brought in about $42,000 total.
"These kids don't have a home, they don't have a safe place to sleep at night," he says. "They're out on the streets not because they want to be, but because it's out of their control."
The National Center on Family Homelessness estimates that 1.5 million children are homeless in the USA at some point each year. "It's getting worse … because of the depth of the economic recession and the staggering numbers of housing foreclosures nationally," President Ellen Bassuk says.
Zach's push to help other kids began after Hurricane Charley hit Florida in 2004. He went door to door with his wagon to collect water, tarps and other supplies. He collected 27 pick-up truck loads of supplies, he says. "To continue helping kids more efficiently," he says, he and his mother established his foundation in 2005.
Since then, he has thrown holiday parties for kids living in hurricane FEMA trailers and filled about 2,000 backpacks with food, toiletries, candy and toys for homeless children.
Zach, who lives in Valrico, Fla., is in fifth grade. He walks 11 to 13 miles each day with his mother, Laurie Bonner, 43. His sister usually drives a car ahead of them. They sleep in a donated recreational vehicle.
Laurie says "it makes him so happy when he finishes a project and sees all the kids." Zach's progress is tracked at www.LittleRedWagonFoundation.com. Children can e-mail letters for Zach to take to Washington to letterstopres@aol.com.
"He is a very unusual young man," says Deborah Shore, executive director of Sasha Bruce Youthwork in Washington, D.C., which provides services for runaway and homeless teenagers, including a shelter.
"Even as a very young person, he has been able to … make a difference."
Friday, May 15, 2009
Dating 101: The Do's and Don'ts of Text-Message Flirting
Texting is the new calling, which means there's a whole new battleground for romance -- and a new set of rules to play by. Start your flirty texting education here, with advice from Debra Goldstein and Olivia Baniuszewicz, authors of "Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart."
More Dating Articles from Glamour:
* Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
* Seven Things a Guy's Bedroom Says About Him
#1: DO say the words text me when you give out your number to a new guy. Giving a new guy your number and telling him to call can be iffy. Start with a text.
#2: DON'T just text "Hi." Even if the only reason you're texting him is because you're thinking about him, this kind of short and shy flirtexting typically leads nowhere.
#3: DO text him back within 24 hours. Anything beyond that reads "I'm just not that into you -- or your texts."
#4: DON'T purposely send him a "mis-text." Women tend to use this move as a way to make single men jealous. But he'll see right through your needy outreach and move his texts on to the next.
#5: DO ask him out over text. If you like him, gauge his interest by sending a light-date invite without hesitation. Try: "Don't know about you, but I predict I'll be starving after work Thursday. Dinner?"
#6: DON'T kid yourself. If he only texts you past 10 P.M., he's probably looking for an encounter you'd rather avoid. The late-night flirtexter does not want to date you. Respond at your own risk.
#7: DO use the phone on certain occasions. For instance, if he calls you and you like him, you absolutely must return the call. Texting back in response to his call reads uninterested.
#8: DON'T go overboard with abbreviations and acronyms. Things like "MTFBWU" (May the force be with you) and overzealous "LOL" usage should be reserved for texts with your tween cousin or BFF, not to a PBF (potential boyfriend).
#9: DON'T send a sensual message before you are in an exclusive relationship. Doing this puts your secret fantasies at a high risk of being forwarded to all of his male coworkers.
#10: DO learn how to send him into the friend zone. Throwing a "Buddy," "Pal," "Kiddo" or "Sport" somewhere in your texts usually accomplishes this. If he's smart, he'll take the hint. Girls interested in dating him don't typically call him "Kiddo."
#11: DON'T text your ex. This rule is especially important to remember when you're feeling lonely and vulnerable.
#12: DO send a thank-you text, post-date. Even if there were no sparks, it's just proper flirtext etiquette. But if you had the best date ever (we're talking full-on fireworks), call him the next day to say thanks. If he felt the same way, he will definitely appreciate the reassurance!
More Dating Articles from Glamour:
* Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
* Seven Things a Guy's Bedroom Says About Him
#1: DO say the words text me when you give out your number to a new guy. Giving a new guy your number and telling him to call can be iffy. Start with a text.
#2: DON'T just text "Hi." Even if the only reason you're texting him is because you're thinking about him, this kind of short and shy flirtexting typically leads nowhere.
#3: DO text him back within 24 hours. Anything beyond that reads "I'm just not that into you -- or your texts."
#4: DON'T purposely send him a "mis-text." Women tend to use this move as a way to make single men jealous. But he'll see right through your needy outreach and move his texts on to the next.
#5: DO ask him out over text. If you like him, gauge his interest by sending a light-date invite without hesitation. Try: "Don't know about you, but I predict I'll be starving after work Thursday. Dinner?"
#6: DON'T kid yourself. If he only texts you past 10 P.M., he's probably looking for an encounter you'd rather avoid. The late-night flirtexter does not want to date you. Respond at your own risk.
#7: DO use the phone on certain occasions. For instance, if he calls you and you like him, you absolutely must return the call. Texting back in response to his call reads uninterested.
#8: DON'T go overboard with abbreviations and acronyms. Things like "MTFBWU" (May the force be with you) and overzealous "LOL" usage should be reserved for texts with your tween cousin or BFF, not to a PBF (potential boyfriend).
#9: DON'T send a sensual message before you are in an exclusive relationship. Doing this puts your secret fantasies at a high risk of being forwarded to all of his male coworkers.
#10: DO learn how to send him into the friend zone. Throwing a "Buddy," "Pal," "Kiddo" or "Sport" somewhere in your texts usually accomplishes this. If he's smart, he'll take the hint. Girls interested in dating him don't typically call him "Kiddo."
#11: DON'T text your ex. This rule is especially important to remember when you're feeling lonely and vulnerable.
#12: DO send a thank-you text, post-date. Even if there were no sparks, it's just proper flirtext etiquette. But if you had the best date ever (we're talking full-on fireworks), call him the next day to say thanks. If he felt the same way, he will definitely appreciate the reassurance!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Chrysler moves to eliminate 789 of 3,200 dealers
NEW YORK – Chrysler LLC wants to eliminate roughly a quarter of its 3,200 U.S. dealerships by early next month, saying in a bankruptcy court filing Thursday that the network is antiquated and has too many stores competing with each other.
The company, in a motion filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, said it wants to shed 789 dealerships by June 9. Many of the dealers' sales are too low, the automaker said, with just over 50 percent of dealers accounting for about 90 percent of the company's U.S. sales.
Dealers were told Thursday morning through United Parcel Service letters if they would remain or be eliminated. The cuts are likely to devastate cities and towns across the country as thousands of jobs are lost and taxes are not paid.
Chrysler Vice Chairman Jim Press called the cuts difficult but necessary. He said the list of dealers is final and there will be no appeal process.
"This is a difficult day for us and not a day anybody can be prepared for," Press told reporters during a conference call.
A hearing is scheduled for June 3 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York for the judge to determine whether to approve Chrysler's motion. Judges often rely on companies in bankruptcy to help determine what is in their best business interest, such as the closure of dealerships or cancellation of contracts.
Chrysler executives said the company is trying to preserve its best-performing dealers and eliminate ones with the weakest sales. More than half of the dealerships being eliminated sell less than 100 vehicles per year, they said, and account for 14 percent of U.S. sales.
The company is also trying to reduce the number of single-brand dealerships to bring all three Chrysler brands — Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge — under a single roof, they said. It also wanted to limit competing dealerships.
"We recognize in the short term we will see some loss of sales," Press said. "But based on the long term ... the dealer (network) is key and it's going to be very strong, powerful, with a much better financial viability."
The 3.5 million customers who purchased vehicles from the affected dealers will be notified about the closures and their warranties will still be honored, said Vice President Steven Landry.
Don Burk, co-owner of Heritage Chrysler Jeep in Ozark, Mo., said he found out that Chrysler plans to get rid of his dealership when he opened his UPS letter Thursday morning.
"Right now I'm processing the information," he said shortly after reading the letter. "I'm sure I'm going to get with my partner and we'll decide what to do from here."
The dealership, in a city of about 10,000 near Springfield, Mo., is involved in the community, sponsoring sports teams and even buying championship rings for the Ozark High School girls basketball team when it won the state championship several years ago, Burk said.
"If you're a good-sized business, kind of by default you're involved a lot," he said.
Chrysler dealerships aren't the only ones scheduled to get bad news this week. General Motors Corp. says it is notifying 1,100 dealers that it will not renew their franchise agreements when they expire at the end of September of 2010.
In its motion, Chrysler said it has many dealerships that sell one or two of its brands, with Chrysler-Jeep dealerships competing against Dodge dealers as well as other automakers' stores across the country.
"We understand there's going to be a consolidation of dealers, said John McEleney, a Clinton, Iowa, auto dealer who serves as chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association. "We just think the process needs to be slowed down."
He said about 187,000 jobs could be lost from the closing of GM and Chrysler dealerships.
Even for dealers that were not included on the list, Thursday's news was not easy to handle.
"It's heart-wrenching," said Chuck Eddy, a Youngstown, Ohio, Chrysler dealer that was not cut. "I've grown up in this business. My dad's been with Chrysler since '57. I've grown up with a lot of these families. That's all I've ever known — Chrysler."
Chrysler said in its filing that dealers are not competitive enough with foreign brands. Chrysler sold an average of 303 vehicles per dealer in 2008, according to its filing. By contrast, Honda Motor Co. sold about 1,200 vehicles per dealer, while Toyota Motor Corp. sold nearly 1,300 per dealer.
Chrysler said its dealer network "needs to be reduced and reconfigured in a targeted manner to strengthen the network and dealer profitability and to achieve optimal results for the dealers and consumers."
Chrysler has received $4 billion in federal loans and has been operating in bankruptcy protection since April 30. Its sales this year are down 46 percent compared with the first four months of last year and it reported a $16.8 billion net loss for 2008.
The company, in a motion filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, said it wants to shed 789 dealerships by June 9. Many of the dealers' sales are too low, the automaker said, with just over 50 percent of dealers accounting for about 90 percent of the company's U.S. sales.
Dealers were told Thursday morning through United Parcel Service letters if they would remain or be eliminated. The cuts are likely to devastate cities and towns across the country as thousands of jobs are lost and taxes are not paid.
Chrysler Vice Chairman Jim Press called the cuts difficult but necessary. He said the list of dealers is final and there will be no appeal process.
"This is a difficult day for us and not a day anybody can be prepared for," Press told reporters during a conference call.
A hearing is scheduled for June 3 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York for the judge to determine whether to approve Chrysler's motion. Judges often rely on companies in bankruptcy to help determine what is in their best business interest, such as the closure of dealerships or cancellation of contracts.
Chrysler executives said the company is trying to preserve its best-performing dealers and eliminate ones with the weakest sales. More than half of the dealerships being eliminated sell less than 100 vehicles per year, they said, and account for 14 percent of U.S. sales.
The company is also trying to reduce the number of single-brand dealerships to bring all three Chrysler brands — Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge — under a single roof, they said. It also wanted to limit competing dealerships.
"We recognize in the short term we will see some loss of sales," Press said. "But based on the long term ... the dealer (network) is key and it's going to be very strong, powerful, with a much better financial viability."
The 3.5 million customers who purchased vehicles from the affected dealers will be notified about the closures and their warranties will still be honored, said Vice President Steven Landry.
Don Burk, co-owner of Heritage Chrysler Jeep in Ozark, Mo., said he found out that Chrysler plans to get rid of his dealership when he opened his UPS letter Thursday morning.
"Right now I'm processing the information," he said shortly after reading the letter. "I'm sure I'm going to get with my partner and we'll decide what to do from here."
The dealership, in a city of about 10,000 near Springfield, Mo., is involved in the community, sponsoring sports teams and even buying championship rings for the Ozark High School girls basketball team when it won the state championship several years ago, Burk said.
"If you're a good-sized business, kind of by default you're involved a lot," he said.
Chrysler dealerships aren't the only ones scheduled to get bad news this week. General Motors Corp. says it is notifying 1,100 dealers that it will not renew their franchise agreements when they expire at the end of September of 2010.
In its motion, Chrysler said it has many dealerships that sell one or two of its brands, with Chrysler-Jeep dealerships competing against Dodge dealers as well as other automakers' stores across the country.
"We understand there's going to be a consolidation of dealers, said John McEleney, a Clinton, Iowa, auto dealer who serves as chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association. "We just think the process needs to be slowed down."
He said about 187,000 jobs could be lost from the closing of GM and Chrysler dealerships.
Even for dealers that were not included on the list, Thursday's news was not easy to handle.
"It's heart-wrenching," said Chuck Eddy, a Youngstown, Ohio, Chrysler dealer that was not cut. "I've grown up in this business. My dad's been with Chrysler since '57. I've grown up with a lot of these families. That's all I've ever known — Chrysler."
Chrysler said in its filing that dealers are not competitive enough with foreign brands. Chrysler sold an average of 303 vehicles per dealer in 2008, according to its filing. By contrast, Honda Motor Co. sold about 1,200 vehicles per dealer, while Toyota Motor Corp. sold nearly 1,300 per dealer.
Chrysler said its dealer network "needs to be reduced and reconfigured in a targeted manner to strengthen the network and dealer profitability and to achieve optimal results for the dealers and consumers."
Chrysler has received $4 billion in federal loans and has been operating in bankruptcy protection since April 30. Its sales this year are down 46 percent compared with the first four months of last year and it reported a $16.8 billion net loss for 2008.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Leo & Kate Help Last Titanic Survivor
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is getting a hand from Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
The "Titanic" stars, along with director James Cameron, have contributed to a $30,000 fund for Millvina Dean, 98, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebs Who Give Back
The Irish Independent was the first to report the news.
The stars came forward after an appeal by photographer Don Mullan in the Sunday edition of the paper. Mullan had asked the stars and director of 1997 blockbuster to help Millvina, who has struggled with her nursing home bills.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See Acting Powerhouse Kate Winslet Looking Gorgeous On The Red Carpet
Millvina was the ill-fated ship's youngest passenger - only nine weeks old upon being carried unto the Titanic from Southampton, England - and is now its last remaining survivor.
The photographer had been selling a limited edition shot, entitled "Still Surviving," of Millvina's hands signing an autograph in order to raise funds for her, and decided to reach out to the "Titanic" stars to pitch in. The photo is part of a new exhibition of his called "A Thousand Reasons for Living."
"I figured that if the edition sold out, it would secure Millvina for a full year. My plan, however, was to double the impact and thereby secure her for two years. I decided, therefore, at the opening of the exhibition, to publicly challenge James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, 20th Century Fox and Celine to match me dollar for dollar,'' Don told the Independent.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Leonardo DiCaprio
He is still waiting on a response from Celine, who won an Oscar for the film's theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," and the film's studio, 20th Century Fox.
The "Titanic" stars, along with director James Cameron, have contributed to a $30,000 fund for Millvina Dean, 98, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebs Who Give Back
The Irish Independent was the first to report the news.
The stars came forward after an appeal by photographer Don Mullan in the Sunday edition of the paper. Mullan had asked the stars and director of 1997 blockbuster to help Millvina, who has struggled with her nursing home bills.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See Acting Powerhouse Kate Winslet Looking Gorgeous On The Red Carpet
Millvina was the ill-fated ship's youngest passenger - only nine weeks old upon being carried unto the Titanic from Southampton, England - and is now its last remaining survivor.
The photographer had been selling a limited edition shot, entitled "Still Surviving," of Millvina's hands signing an autograph in order to raise funds for her, and decided to reach out to the "Titanic" stars to pitch in. The photo is part of a new exhibition of his called "A Thousand Reasons for Living."
"I figured that if the edition sold out, it would secure Millvina for a full year. My plan, however, was to double the impact and thereby secure her for two years. I decided, therefore, at the opening of the exhibition, to publicly challenge James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, 20th Century Fox and Celine to match me dollar for dollar,'' Don told the Independent.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Leonardo DiCaprio
He is still waiting on a response from Celine, who won an Oscar for the film's theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," and the film's studio, 20th Century Fox.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fido, frequent flier, gets his own airline
NEW YORK (AFP) – Move over Jet Set -- here comes the Pet Set.
An airline catering exclusively to furry passengers takes to the skies this July with a promise to make air travel everything the domestic animal could want.
The first Pet Airways flight will depart July 14 from Teterboro, a small airport outside New York, en route to Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles, said founder Alysa Binder.
"Pet Airways was created to provide a safe and comfortable solution for the transport of pets," said Binder and her husband Dan Wiesel in a company statement.
"Inspiration for the concept came from difficulties encountered when shipping Zoe, our Jack Russell Terrier, across the country."
Flights, which will cost 149 dollars each way, will be on a modified Beechcraft 1900 supplied under contract with Suburban Air.
The plane usually fits 19 passengers. This time there will be room for 50 cats and dogs.
"There will be two pilots and a pet attendant. Everything is done for the safety and comfort of the pets," Binder said.
Pooches and kitties won't actually get seats. They'll travel in kennels stacked on custom-made shelves.
Like many flights in these security conscious days, a check-in two hours before take-off is requested. To avoid the queues -- and any potential pre-flight nerves -- check-in can be done 72 hours earlier.
"We?ll be happy to board your pet at our PAWS Lodge until the flight," the company's website advertises.
Then it's time to go to the Pet Lounge and onto the aircraft.
The airline asks that pets answer the call of nature while on the ground, but says they don't have to.
"Potty breaks are very important to your pet. With the human airlines, your pet could be made to hold themselves for a very, very long time. Pet Airways monitors the last time your pet had a potty break, and makes sure that they get regular potty breaks along the way," the site says.
Elizabeth Cory, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Authority, explained that Pet Airways passengers -- the company calls them "pawsengers" -- will not be alone in the sky.
"Animals have always been carried by air, horses for example. This group only has a different marketing proposal. They are contracting with an existing carrier to carry animals," Cory said.
Cory said the airline met FAA safety standards.
"For us the most important is to avoid the unnecessary shift of weight, and to insure that the animals are properly restrained."
Some 76 million cats and dogs are estimated to travel each year in the United States, including two million in airplanes.
Air travel is no easy ride for domestic creatures. Some 5,000 animals a year suffer injury while being transported, according to animal rights experts.
The pet set looks likely to avoid such unpleasantness.
"Pet attendants make sure they're all comfortable and that they, and their pet carrier, are secure," the website says. "A Pet attendant monitors and checks the comfort of all pawsengers every 15 minutes during the flight. After landing, pets will be disembarked, given a potty break, and will be available for pickup at the Pet Lounge."
An airline catering exclusively to furry passengers takes to the skies this July with a promise to make air travel everything the domestic animal could want.
The first Pet Airways flight will depart July 14 from Teterboro, a small airport outside New York, en route to Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles, said founder Alysa Binder.
"Pet Airways was created to provide a safe and comfortable solution for the transport of pets," said Binder and her husband Dan Wiesel in a company statement.
"Inspiration for the concept came from difficulties encountered when shipping Zoe, our Jack Russell Terrier, across the country."
Flights, which will cost 149 dollars each way, will be on a modified Beechcraft 1900 supplied under contract with Suburban Air.
The plane usually fits 19 passengers. This time there will be room for 50 cats and dogs.
"There will be two pilots and a pet attendant. Everything is done for the safety and comfort of the pets," Binder said.
Pooches and kitties won't actually get seats. They'll travel in kennels stacked on custom-made shelves.
Like many flights in these security conscious days, a check-in two hours before take-off is requested. To avoid the queues -- and any potential pre-flight nerves -- check-in can be done 72 hours earlier.
"We?ll be happy to board your pet at our PAWS Lodge until the flight," the company's website advertises.
Then it's time to go to the Pet Lounge and onto the aircraft.
The airline asks that pets answer the call of nature while on the ground, but says they don't have to.
"Potty breaks are very important to your pet. With the human airlines, your pet could be made to hold themselves for a very, very long time. Pet Airways monitors the last time your pet had a potty break, and makes sure that they get regular potty breaks along the way," the site says.
Elizabeth Cory, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Authority, explained that Pet Airways passengers -- the company calls them "pawsengers" -- will not be alone in the sky.
"Animals have always been carried by air, horses for example. This group only has a different marketing proposal. They are contracting with an existing carrier to carry animals," Cory said.
Cory said the airline met FAA safety standards.
"For us the most important is to avoid the unnecessary shift of weight, and to insure that the animals are properly restrained."
Some 76 million cats and dogs are estimated to travel each year in the United States, including two million in airplanes.
Air travel is no easy ride for domestic creatures. Some 5,000 animals a year suffer injury while being transported, according to animal rights experts.
The pet set looks likely to avoid such unpleasantness.
"Pet attendants make sure they're all comfortable and that they, and their pet carrier, are secure," the website says. "A Pet attendant monitors and checks the comfort of all pawsengers every 15 minutes during the flight. After landing, pets will be disembarked, given a potty break, and will be available for pickup at the Pet Lounge."
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Ohio Christian school tells student to skip prom
FINDLAY, Ohio – A student at a fundamentalist Baptist school that forbids dancing, rock music, hand-holding and kissing will be suspended if he takes his girlfriend to her public high school prom, his principal said.
Despite the warning, 17-year-old Tyler Frost, who has never been to a dance before, said he plans to attend Findlay High School's prom Saturday.
Frost, a senior at Heritage Christian School in northwest Ohio, agreed to the school's rules when he signed a statement of cooperation at the beginning of the year, principal Tim England said.
The teen, who is scheduled to receive his diploma May 24, would be suspended from classes and receive an "incomplete" on remaining assignments, England said. Frost also would not be permitted to attend graduation but would get a diploma once he completes final exams. If Frost is involved with alcohol or sex at the prom, he will be expelled, England said.
Frost's stepfather Stephan Johnson said the school's rules should not apply outside the classroom.
"He deserves to wear that cap and gown," Johnson said.
Frost said he thought he had handled the situation properly. Findlay requires students from other schools attending the prom to get a signature from their principal, which Frost did.
"I expected a short lecture about making the right decisions and not doing something stupid," Frost said. "I thought I would get his signature and that would be the end."
England acknowledged signing the form but warned Frost there would be consequences if he attended the dance. England then took the issue to a school committee made up of church members, who decided to threaten Frost with suspension.
"In life, we constantly make decisions whether we are going to please self or please God. (Frost) chose one path, and the school committee chose the other," England said.
The handbook for the 84-student Christian school says rock music "is part of the counterculture which seeks to implant seeds of rebellion in young people's hearts and minds."
England said Frost's family should not be surprised by the school's position.
"For the parents to claim any injustice regarding this issue is at best forgetful and at worst disingenuous," he said. "It is our hope that the student and his parents will abide by the policies they have already agreed to."
The principal at Findlay High School, whose graduates include Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, said he respects, but does not agree with, Heritage Christian School's view of prom.
"I don't see (dancing and rock music) as immoral acts," Craig Kupferberg said.
___
Information from: The Courier, http://www.thecourier.com
Despite the warning, 17-year-old Tyler Frost, who has never been to a dance before, said he plans to attend Findlay High School's prom Saturday.
Frost, a senior at Heritage Christian School in northwest Ohio, agreed to the school's rules when he signed a statement of cooperation at the beginning of the year, principal Tim England said.
The teen, who is scheduled to receive his diploma May 24, would be suspended from classes and receive an "incomplete" on remaining assignments, England said. Frost also would not be permitted to attend graduation but would get a diploma once he completes final exams. If Frost is involved with alcohol or sex at the prom, he will be expelled, England said.
Frost's stepfather Stephan Johnson said the school's rules should not apply outside the classroom.
"He deserves to wear that cap and gown," Johnson said.
Frost said he thought he had handled the situation properly. Findlay requires students from other schools attending the prom to get a signature from their principal, which Frost did.
"I expected a short lecture about making the right decisions and not doing something stupid," Frost said. "I thought I would get his signature and that would be the end."
England acknowledged signing the form but warned Frost there would be consequences if he attended the dance. England then took the issue to a school committee made up of church members, who decided to threaten Frost with suspension.
"In life, we constantly make decisions whether we are going to please self or please God. (Frost) chose one path, and the school committee chose the other," England said.
The handbook for the 84-student Christian school says rock music "is part of the counterculture which seeks to implant seeds of rebellion in young people's hearts and minds."
England said Frost's family should not be surprised by the school's position.
"For the parents to claim any injustice regarding this issue is at best forgetful and at worst disingenuous," he said. "It is our hope that the student and his parents will abide by the policies they have already agreed to."
The principal at Findlay High School, whose graduates include Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, said he respects, but does not agree with, Heritage Christian School's view of prom.
"I don't see (dancing and rock music) as immoral acts," Craig Kupferberg said.
___
Information from: The Courier, http://www.thecourier.com
Friday, May 8, 2009
Barack, Miley move up; baby names Emma, Jacob rule
WASHINGTON – Barack and Miley move up, but the classics still rule. Emma is the top baby name for girls, Jacob for boys. Emma's surge to the top in 2008 ended Emily's 12-year reign as the No. 1 baby name for girls, the Social Security Administration announced Friday.
Jacob held onto the boy's crown for the 10th straight year.
Barack may have been the man of the year in 2008 as Obama won the White House, but the president still trails the king. Barack moved up a record 10,126 places to No. 2,409. Elvis is still in the building, though he slipped from 673 to 713.
In the midst of last year's election, Isha Kallay of suburban Washington wanted to name her newborn son after the future president. But she feared that Barack would become too popular, especially if he won.
"That's why I named my baby Obama because I wanted my baby to have a special name that other people don't have," Kallay said from her home in Lanham, Md.
Baby naming experts said Americans are pulled by sometimes conflicting impulses when choosing names for their children. They gravitate toward the popular, wanting their child to fit in. But many also want their child's name to be unique, so they don't have to share it with four other kids in class at school.
Many turn to the Bible; others turn to TV.
Emma debuted in the top 10 in 2002, the same year that Jennifer Aniston's character on "Friends" gave the name to her TV show baby. In the latest lineup, Emma was followed by Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava.
"They might want to emulate the stars, but if they do, the name can't be too far out," said Jennifer Moss, author of "The One-in-a-Million Baby Name Book" and founder of Babynames.com.
"You don't see many Apples," she said, referring to name actress Gwyneth Paltrow gave her daughter. There aren't many Gwyneths, either.
Miley, as in popular teen singer Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127. But her stage name, Hannah — as in Hannah Montana — fell from No. 9 to No. 17.
Michelle continued a steady 20-year slide, falling from No. 94 to No. 103. But that could change now that Michelle Obama is first lady. The names of the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, were in the 300s.
The top five boys names remained unchanged from 2007. Jacob was followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel. Alexander joined the top 10 at No. 6 while Andrew dropped out.
The Social Security Administration started compiling name lists in 1997. The agency offers lists of baby names dating to 1880. The agency's Web site includes the top baby names by state.
New girl names in the national top 1,000 included Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).
Debuting among the boys were Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764), Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
On the Web: Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov
Jacob held onto the boy's crown for the 10th straight year.
Barack may have been the man of the year in 2008 as Obama won the White House, but the president still trails the king. Barack moved up a record 10,126 places to No. 2,409. Elvis is still in the building, though he slipped from 673 to 713.
In the midst of last year's election, Isha Kallay of suburban Washington wanted to name her newborn son after the future president. But she feared that Barack would become too popular, especially if he won.
"That's why I named my baby Obama because I wanted my baby to have a special name that other people don't have," Kallay said from her home in Lanham, Md.
Baby naming experts said Americans are pulled by sometimes conflicting impulses when choosing names for their children. They gravitate toward the popular, wanting their child to fit in. But many also want their child's name to be unique, so they don't have to share it with four other kids in class at school.
Many turn to the Bible; others turn to TV.
Emma debuted in the top 10 in 2002, the same year that Jennifer Aniston's character on "Friends" gave the name to her TV show baby. In the latest lineup, Emma was followed by Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava.
"They might want to emulate the stars, but if they do, the name can't be too far out," said Jennifer Moss, author of "The One-in-a-Million Baby Name Book" and founder of Babynames.com.
"You don't see many Apples," she said, referring to name actress Gwyneth Paltrow gave her daughter. There aren't many Gwyneths, either.
Miley, as in popular teen singer Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127. But her stage name, Hannah — as in Hannah Montana — fell from No. 9 to No. 17.
Michelle continued a steady 20-year slide, falling from No. 94 to No. 103. But that could change now that Michelle Obama is first lady. The names of the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, were in the 300s.
The top five boys names remained unchanged from 2007. Jacob was followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel. Alexander joined the top 10 at No. 6 while Andrew dropped out.
The Social Security Administration started compiling name lists in 1997. The agency offers lists of baby names dating to 1880. The agency's Web site includes the top baby names by state.
New girl names in the national top 1,000 included Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).
Debuting among the boys were Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764), Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
On the Web: Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Texas confirms first flu death of US resident
McALLEN, Texas – Texas health officials on Tuesday announced the first death of a U.S. resident with swine flu, and said she was a 33-year-old schoolteacher who had recently given birth to a healthy baby.
The woman died early Tuesday and had been hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist.
Health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused the woman's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the woman had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any more details.
Lopez said the flu exacerbated the woman's condition. "The swine flu is very benign by itself," Lopez said. But "by the time she came to see us it was already too late."
The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was of a Mexico City boy who also had underlying health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.
There have been 26 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.
The teacher was from Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border. The school district where she worked announced it would close its schools for the rest of the week, though officials said anyone who might have contracted the disease from her would have shown symptoms by now.
The teacher was first seen by a physician April 14 and was hospitalized on the 19th. The woman delivered a healthy baby while hospitalized and stayed in the hospital until her death, said Lopez, who declined to give further details about the baby.
Doctors knew she had a flu when she came in, but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic right now, of which the swine flu is one variety, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.
Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus, said the woman was extremely ill when she was hospitalized.
Mercedes Independent School District, where the woman taught, announced it would close its schools starting Wednesday and reopen May 11.
Based on the time the patient was admitted to the hospital and began to show symptoms of swine flu, anyone who had contracted the disease from her would have shown symptoms by now, McCormick said. Lopez also said students and employees of the school district where she worked shouldn't worry if they are currently healthy.
U.S. health officials changed course on their advice to schools Tuesday, saying they are no longer recommending that schools close for the swine flu. Last week, the government had advised schools to shut down for about two weeks if there were suspected cases of swine flu.
The woman died early Tuesday and had been hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist.
Health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused the woman's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the woman had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any more details.
Lopez said the flu exacerbated the woman's condition. "The swine flu is very benign by itself," Lopez said. But "by the time she came to see us it was already too late."
The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was of a Mexico City boy who also had underlying health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.
There have been 26 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.
The teacher was from Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border. The school district where she worked announced it would close its schools for the rest of the week, though officials said anyone who might have contracted the disease from her would have shown symptoms by now.
The teacher was first seen by a physician April 14 and was hospitalized on the 19th. The woman delivered a healthy baby while hospitalized and stayed in the hospital until her death, said Lopez, who declined to give further details about the baby.
Doctors knew she had a flu when she came in, but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic right now, of which the swine flu is one variety, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.
Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus, said the woman was extremely ill when she was hospitalized.
Mercedes Independent School District, where the woman taught, announced it would close its schools starting Wednesday and reopen May 11.
Based on the time the patient was admitted to the hospital and began to show symptoms of swine flu, anyone who had contracted the disease from her would have shown symptoms by now, McCormick said. Lopez also said students and employees of the school district where she worked shouldn't worry if they are currently healthy.
U.S. health officials changed course on their advice to schools Tuesday, saying they are no longer recommending that schools close for the swine flu. Last week, the government had advised schools to shut down for about two weeks if there were suspected cases of swine flu.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Flu could flourish in southern hemisphere winter
SYDNEY, Australia – Southern hemisphere countries that have largely escaped swine flu infections could soon become more vulnerable, experts warn, as the approaching winter brings with it an elevated risk of the virus spreading and mutating.
So far, the worst affected nations — such as Mexico, the United States, Canada and countries in Europe — have been in the northern hemisphere, which is heading into summer. To the south of the equator, cooler weather is imminent.
"The highest peaks of influenza activity occur in winter," said Raina MacIntyre, head of the University of New South Wales' School of Public Health and Community Medicine. "For us in the southern hemisphere, it's particularly concerning."
It is already fall in Australia, and winter sets in by June.
Flu is spread more easily in winter largely because people tend to congregate indoors to avoid the colder weather, increasing the opportunity for the virus to hop from person to person, MacIntyre said. There is also some evidence that colder temperatures make it easier for the virus to infect people, she said.
Experts also warn that regular flu that typically spreads in winter may collide with swine flu and recombine to make it more transmissible or more dangerous.
WHO spokesman Dick Thompson, said the agency was concerned of a possible "reassortment" — or mixing of regular and swine flu viruses.
"Winter is coming in the southern hemisphere and governments have to step up their actions to protect their populations, especially in the absence of a (swine flu) vaccine," he said. "We have a concern there might be some sort of reassortment and that's something we'll be paying special attention to."
So far, Australia has reported no confirmed cases of swine flu.
A WHO spokesman said Monday the agency may raise its pandemic alert to the highest level — 6 — meaning a global outbreak of swine flu is under way.
However, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the World Health Organization "has no plan to raise the alert level to 6 at this moment." WHO chief Margaret Chan also told the U.N. General Assembly by videolink from Geneva that "we are not there yet."
If WHO does declare a pandemic, "it's almost inevitable that it will come to Australia," said MacIntyre. "If the WHO does not declare Level 6 there's a possibility the virus will never reach Australian shores."
The virus has already reached neighboring New Zealand, which reported its fifth and sixth laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu Monday along with 11 probable cases. The two new confirmed cases came 10 days after a group of high school students returned from Mexico with the first confirmed cases of the illness, sparking a nationwide alert.
Mexico has so far reported 727 cases of swine flu — out of more than 1,000 confirmed worldwide — and 26 deaths from the virus.
But even as Mexico began its first tentative steps toward normalcy after days of lockdown, the virus spread to Colombia in the first confirmed case in South America, where flu season was also about to begin.
"Latin American countries may have a somewhat stronger surveillance system than in Africa. Africa's going to need some additional support and surveillance," WHO's Thompson said.
Experts also warn the timing of the outbreak may jeopardize southern countries' regular flu vaccine stocks for next year. Usually, flu vaccines are made about a year in advance.
But since WHO will ask vaccine manufacturers in a few weeks to start making pandemic vaccine instead, that could mean problems for next year's stocks of seasonal flu vaccine for southern hemisphere countries. Vaccine makers can only make one kind of vaccine at a time, and many companies may switch to making swine flu vaccine instead of seasonal flu vaccine for southern hemisphere countries.
Some experts think health officials in southern hemisphere countries should be more concerned with seasonal flu than with swine flu at the moment. "Seasonal flu is ... potentially more serious than (swine flu)," said John Mackenzie, a flu expert at Curtin University in Australia.
He said countries like Australia should focus on having people at high risk of the flu, like the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, vaccinated against regular flu since the swine flu appeared to be relatively mild.
WHO is reporting no confirmed cases in Africa, but the region is bracing itself.
O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, a gateway to the region handling millions of travelers, has plans to get a thermal image detection system running to check passengers for fever. A supply of masks has been provided to that airport and others, and hospitals have been given guidelines on how to handle suspected cases.
South Africa, the richest country in the region, is also poised to assist its neighbors should they need help with testing or treatment.
"There's certainly an enhanced preparedness," said Barry Schoub, director of South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Schoub said South Africa has about 100,000 Tamiflu doses stockpiled and access to more if needed. However, he said, if the country experiences a swine flu outbreak at the same time as the coming flu season, it will put pressure on both treatment and diagnosis.
Australia is well-prepared for an outbreak, MacIntyre said. It has spent years planning for a pandemic, and has a large stockpile of flu treatments and solid pandemic preparedness plans, she said.
The government says its stockpile is large enough to treat 8.7 million of its 22 million people with the flu medicines Tamiflu and Relenza.
So far, these prescription drugs have been given to about 100 people identified as at-risk of swine flu because they are have flu-like symptoms and recently traveled to high-risk areas.
Endocrinologist Nikolai Petrovsky, a professor of medicine at Flinders University in Adelaide, expressed worries about the coming winter, but said that at least Australia will have more time to analyze the data coming out of the U.S. and Mexico before the virus arrives on its shores.
"By the time it comes to Australia and the southern hemisphere, we'll know more about it than it did when it arrived over there," he said.
So far, the worst affected nations — such as Mexico, the United States, Canada and countries in Europe — have been in the northern hemisphere, which is heading into summer. To the south of the equator, cooler weather is imminent.
"The highest peaks of influenza activity occur in winter," said Raina MacIntyre, head of the University of New South Wales' School of Public Health and Community Medicine. "For us in the southern hemisphere, it's particularly concerning."
It is already fall in Australia, and winter sets in by June.
Flu is spread more easily in winter largely because people tend to congregate indoors to avoid the colder weather, increasing the opportunity for the virus to hop from person to person, MacIntyre said. There is also some evidence that colder temperatures make it easier for the virus to infect people, she said.
Experts also warn that regular flu that typically spreads in winter may collide with swine flu and recombine to make it more transmissible or more dangerous.
WHO spokesman Dick Thompson, said the agency was concerned of a possible "reassortment" — or mixing of regular and swine flu viruses.
"Winter is coming in the southern hemisphere and governments have to step up their actions to protect their populations, especially in the absence of a (swine flu) vaccine," he said. "We have a concern there might be some sort of reassortment and that's something we'll be paying special attention to."
So far, Australia has reported no confirmed cases of swine flu.
A WHO spokesman said Monday the agency may raise its pandemic alert to the highest level — 6 — meaning a global outbreak of swine flu is under way.
However, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the World Health Organization "has no plan to raise the alert level to 6 at this moment." WHO chief Margaret Chan also told the U.N. General Assembly by videolink from Geneva that "we are not there yet."
If WHO does declare a pandemic, "it's almost inevitable that it will come to Australia," said MacIntyre. "If the WHO does not declare Level 6 there's a possibility the virus will never reach Australian shores."
The virus has already reached neighboring New Zealand, which reported its fifth and sixth laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu Monday along with 11 probable cases. The two new confirmed cases came 10 days after a group of high school students returned from Mexico with the first confirmed cases of the illness, sparking a nationwide alert.
Mexico has so far reported 727 cases of swine flu — out of more than 1,000 confirmed worldwide — and 26 deaths from the virus.
But even as Mexico began its first tentative steps toward normalcy after days of lockdown, the virus spread to Colombia in the first confirmed case in South America, where flu season was also about to begin.
"Latin American countries may have a somewhat stronger surveillance system than in Africa. Africa's going to need some additional support and surveillance," WHO's Thompson said.
Experts also warn the timing of the outbreak may jeopardize southern countries' regular flu vaccine stocks for next year. Usually, flu vaccines are made about a year in advance.
But since WHO will ask vaccine manufacturers in a few weeks to start making pandemic vaccine instead, that could mean problems for next year's stocks of seasonal flu vaccine for southern hemisphere countries. Vaccine makers can only make one kind of vaccine at a time, and many companies may switch to making swine flu vaccine instead of seasonal flu vaccine for southern hemisphere countries.
Some experts think health officials in southern hemisphere countries should be more concerned with seasonal flu than with swine flu at the moment. "Seasonal flu is ... potentially more serious than (swine flu)," said John Mackenzie, a flu expert at Curtin University in Australia.
He said countries like Australia should focus on having people at high risk of the flu, like the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, vaccinated against regular flu since the swine flu appeared to be relatively mild.
WHO is reporting no confirmed cases in Africa, but the region is bracing itself.
O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, a gateway to the region handling millions of travelers, has plans to get a thermal image detection system running to check passengers for fever. A supply of masks has been provided to that airport and others, and hospitals have been given guidelines on how to handle suspected cases.
South Africa, the richest country in the region, is also poised to assist its neighbors should they need help with testing or treatment.
"There's certainly an enhanced preparedness," said Barry Schoub, director of South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Schoub said South Africa has about 100,000 Tamiflu doses stockpiled and access to more if needed. However, he said, if the country experiences a swine flu outbreak at the same time as the coming flu season, it will put pressure on both treatment and diagnosis.
Australia is well-prepared for an outbreak, MacIntyre said. It has spent years planning for a pandemic, and has a large stockpile of flu treatments and solid pandemic preparedness plans, she said.
The government says its stockpile is large enough to treat 8.7 million of its 22 million people with the flu medicines Tamiflu and Relenza.
So far, these prescription drugs have been given to about 100 people identified as at-risk of swine flu because they are have flu-like symptoms and recently traveled to high-risk areas.
Endocrinologist Nikolai Petrovsky, a professor of medicine at Flinders University in Adelaide, expressed worries about the coming winter, but said that at least Australia will have more time to analyze the data coming out of the U.S. and Mexico before the virus arrives on its shores.
"By the time it comes to Australia and the southern hemisphere, we'll know more about it than it did when it arrived over there," he said.
GM could follow Chrysler into bankruptcy: analysts
DETROIT, Michigan (AFP) – General Motors could soon follow Chrysler into bankruptcy protection and the process is unlikely to be simple or swift for either troubled automaker, analysts warned.
"Bankruptcy may indeed be the last, best option to restructure General Motors because of the multitude of challenges the company faces and its deeply entrenched stakeholders," said Doug Bernstein, head of Plunkett Cooney's banking, bankruptcy and creditors' rights law practice group.
"But it's unrealistic to expect that the process will go smoothly and quickly," Bernstein said.
"The company is massive, its operations are complex, and it has thousands of potential claimants and interested parties."
In announcing Chrysler's bankruptcy Thursday, President Barack Obama insisted that "Chrysler and GM are going to come back" and said a restructuring under court protection, along with a partnership with Italy's Fiat, would give Chrysler "a new lease on life."
While Obama said his team would continue to work with GM to develop a long-term viability plan ahead of a June 1 deadline he also warned that "we simply cannot keep this company or any company afloat on an endless supply of tax dollars."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned that both the US and Canadian governments "will insist that all of the stakeholders make the sacrifices necessary to ensure the long-run viability" of General Motors.
"If they do not, governments will not participate in the restructuring," he said after announcing that the Canadian government would allocate 2.4 billion US dollars to help Chrysler emerge from bankruptcy.
A smattering of bondholders were blamed for blocking a deal to restructure Chrysler out of court and GM's bondholders seem equally intransigent.
A committee representing those bondholders went public hours before Chrysler's bankruptcy was formally announced Thursday with demands for a significantly larger equity stake than has been offered by the Obama administration.
The debt for equity exchange at GM also dwarfs that at Chrysler, which had fewer than 100 principal financial creditors.
At GM, any exchange must involve more than 120 major financial institutions, ranging from banks to pension funds, and about 100,000 individual investors.
Another stumbling block to a GM deal is a plan to eliminate the Pontiac brand and selling off Hummer, Saab and Saturn, said Jay Gleischman, managing partner of 4Gen Consulting in Troy, Michigan.
"Everybody knows Treasury is playing hardball," he said.
"But it's going to be for different reasons than Chrysler. It's going to be to sever its relations with dealers."
GM has said it wants to eliminate 42 percent of existing dealerships, reducing the number from 6,246 in 2008 to 3,605 by the end of 2010.
The plan has met resistance from the National Automobile Dealers Association, which has asked dealers to contribute to a legal defense fund.
A further complication is the impact the Chrysler bankruptcy and plant idling at both automakers will have on the already-stressed supply base.
David Allardice, an economist at Walsh College outside Detroit, said suppliers are already bracing for the worst.
"Regarding General Motors, others took the view that they could 'see the train coming' with the announcement of nine weeks of plant shutdowns," Allardice said.
Brad Coulter of O'Keefe & Associates said GM suppliers ought to pay close attention to what happens at Chrysler.
"If certain suppliers are not deemed critical in the Chrysler bankruptcy, then I would expect those same types of suppliers would be very wary of continuing to supply GM without getting paid on prior debts or going to cash in advance," he said.
"Bankruptcy may indeed be the last, best option to restructure General Motors because of the multitude of challenges the company faces and its deeply entrenched stakeholders," said Doug Bernstein, head of Plunkett Cooney's banking, bankruptcy and creditors' rights law practice group.
"But it's unrealistic to expect that the process will go smoothly and quickly," Bernstein said.
"The company is massive, its operations are complex, and it has thousands of potential claimants and interested parties."
In announcing Chrysler's bankruptcy Thursday, President Barack Obama insisted that "Chrysler and GM are going to come back" and said a restructuring under court protection, along with a partnership with Italy's Fiat, would give Chrysler "a new lease on life."
While Obama said his team would continue to work with GM to develop a long-term viability plan ahead of a June 1 deadline he also warned that "we simply cannot keep this company or any company afloat on an endless supply of tax dollars."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned that both the US and Canadian governments "will insist that all of the stakeholders make the sacrifices necessary to ensure the long-run viability" of General Motors.
"If they do not, governments will not participate in the restructuring," he said after announcing that the Canadian government would allocate 2.4 billion US dollars to help Chrysler emerge from bankruptcy.
A smattering of bondholders were blamed for blocking a deal to restructure Chrysler out of court and GM's bondholders seem equally intransigent.
A committee representing those bondholders went public hours before Chrysler's bankruptcy was formally announced Thursday with demands for a significantly larger equity stake than has been offered by the Obama administration.
The debt for equity exchange at GM also dwarfs that at Chrysler, which had fewer than 100 principal financial creditors.
At GM, any exchange must involve more than 120 major financial institutions, ranging from banks to pension funds, and about 100,000 individual investors.
Another stumbling block to a GM deal is a plan to eliminate the Pontiac brand and selling off Hummer, Saab and Saturn, said Jay Gleischman, managing partner of 4Gen Consulting in Troy, Michigan.
"Everybody knows Treasury is playing hardball," he said.
"But it's going to be for different reasons than Chrysler. It's going to be to sever its relations with dealers."
GM has said it wants to eliminate 42 percent of existing dealerships, reducing the number from 6,246 in 2008 to 3,605 by the end of 2010.
The plan has met resistance from the National Automobile Dealers Association, which has asked dealers to contribute to a legal defense fund.
A further complication is the impact the Chrysler bankruptcy and plant idling at both automakers will have on the already-stressed supply base.
David Allardice, an economist at Walsh College outside Detroit, said suppliers are already bracing for the worst.
"Regarding General Motors, others took the view that they could 'see the train coming' with the announcement of nine weeks of plant shutdowns," Allardice said.
Brad Coulter of O'Keefe & Associates said GM suppliers ought to pay close attention to what happens at Chrysler.
"If certain suppliers are not deemed critical in the Chrysler bankruptcy, then I would expect those same types of suppliers would be very wary of continuing to supply GM without getting paid on prior debts or going to cash in advance," he said.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
13 Keys to a Perfect First Date
First-date tactics that will leave her glowing at the end of the night
Throughout the years, men have always asked me, "How do I make that first date as perfect as she expects it to be?"
I've come up with a checklist of some of my favorite first-date tactics that will leave her glowing at the end of the night. In fact, these are so good, she'll be texting or calling you within the next 24 hours expecting more of the same!
1. It's OK to suggest a drink instead of dinner for a first date. She dreads a potentially boring, four-course ordeal, too!
2. Always call her by early evening on Tuesday to confirm a Wednesday get-together -- it's the polite thing to do and it lets her know you're already thinking about her.
3. Be sure to leave both your home and work phone numbers. If you don't leave your home number, she might assume you have a wife or girlfriend. If you don't leave any number, she'll wonder what game you're playing.
4. If you want to keep the plans a surprise, at least
“clue her in as to what to wear”
clue her in as to what to wear. You do not want an overdressed, overstressed woman navigating in high heels on a sunset beach walk.
5. Always listen to what she has to say, and make sure you wait until she's done talking before responding.
6. Don't assume that just because you're out with a beautiful woman, she knows how pretty she looks -- she wants to hear it from you. Don't go overboard, though, or she might think you're insincere.
7. Men judge women according to whether they can picture having sex with them; women judge men by whether they can imagine kissing them. White teeth, fresh breath, great shoes, cell phone turned off, and unchapped lips make her more apt to lock lips with you that night.
8. Do not ask her, "So, what kind of music do you like?" The last 10 guys asked that. Be original and instead fill your iPod with a great mix of music that expresses your style.
9. Tip well. Believe me, she'll be watching.
10. Reading body language is simple: If she touches your arm, she's interested. If she touches your leg, she's interested tonight. If she leans away from you the whole night, she is not interested at all.
11. Very small gestures go a long way and show her you're a gentleman. When you drop her off at her house, be sure to wait the extra 30 seconds while she gets inside (and next time you might be going in with her!).
12. Women need momentum. Without it, they lose interest or wonder if you have lost it, too. Follow up with a phone call the next night. Even more important, ask her out at the end of the date. Don't play games or wait.
13. Never look at another woman when you are on a date. If she catches your wandering eye, you are done.
Throughout the years, men have always asked me, "How do I make that first date as perfect as she expects it to be?"
I've come up with a checklist of some of my favorite first-date tactics that will leave her glowing at the end of the night. In fact, these are so good, she'll be texting or calling you within the next 24 hours expecting more of the same!
1. It's OK to suggest a drink instead of dinner for a first date. She dreads a potentially boring, four-course ordeal, too!
2. Always call her by early evening on Tuesday to confirm a Wednesday get-together -- it's the polite thing to do and it lets her know you're already thinking about her.
3. Be sure to leave both your home and work phone numbers. If you don't leave your home number, she might assume you have a wife or girlfriend. If you don't leave any number, she'll wonder what game you're playing.
4. If you want to keep the plans a surprise, at least
“clue her in as to what to wear”
clue her in as to what to wear. You do not want an overdressed, overstressed woman navigating in high heels on a sunset beach walk.
5. Always listen to what she has to say, and make sure you wait until she's done talking before responding.
6. Don't assume that just because you're out with a beautiful woman, she knows how pretty she looks -- she wants to hear it from you. Don't go overboard, though, or she might think you're insincere.
7. Men judge women according to whether they can picture having sex with them; women judge men by whether they can imagine kissing them. White teeth, fresh breath, great shoes, cell phone turned off, and unchapped lips make her more apt to lock lips with you that night.
8. Do not ask her, "So, what kind of music do you like?" The last 10 guys asked that. Be original and instead fill your iPod with a great mix of music that expresses your style.
9. Tip well. Believe me, she'll be watching.
10. Reading body language is simple: If she touches your arm, she's interested. If she touches your leg, she's interested tonight. If she leans away from you the whole night, she is not interested at all.
11. Very small gestures go a long way and show her you're a gentleman. When you drop her off at her house, be sure to wait the extra 30 seconds while she gets inside (and next time you might be going in with her!).
12. Women need momentum. Without it, they lose interest or wonder if you have lost it, too. Follow up with a phone call the next night. Even more important, ask her out at the end of the date. Don't play games or wait.
13. Never look at another woman when you are on a date. If she catches your wandering eye, you are done.
6 Suave Dating Behaviors to Show You're Interested
Have you ever been out on a date with someone you really like, but you weren't sure exactly how to let your date know that you're interested in him/her? It can be hard to know how to express yourself around someone whom you don't know very well yet.
There are many ways to express yourself during a date. You could, for instance, immediately try to kiss your date and attempt a long session of "sucking face"... but that isn't wise. While it will certainly convey your interest, it will probably give your date the wrong impression.
Clearly, then, there are better and worse ways to convey your interest to a date (with the above example being one of the "worse" options). So let's look at some more realistic (and better!) ways that you can let your date know that you're interested.
Here are six simple ways to show your date you're interested:
1. Lean toward your date. Body language plays a huge role in what you communicate to others. This is especially true on a date, where the person you're with will be paying a lot of attention to your body language. So, when you're on a date with someone who interests you, you need to let him/her know it with your body language. One of the best ways is to lean in towards your date.
“Lean in and smile. And when you're leaning in, look at your date directly in his/her eyes.”
Lean in and smile. And when you're leaning in, look at your date directly in his/her eyes.
2. Smile or laugh a bit when your date says something funny. While we all know it's important to listen to what your date is saying during a conversation, it's equally important to react to things that your date says that resonate with you. For instance, when your date is saying something funny, contribute to that part of the conversation. Keep the conversation rolling when it's on something funny and don't change the subject.
3. When your date says something intriguing, comment on it. When your date starts talking about a topic that is in an area of interest of yours, respond with questions and get more involved in that topic. Say, for instance you feel really passionate about an upcoming election and your date says "Well, I really don't think I'm going to bother voting." You can respond with something like "Wait a second. Why are you considering not voting?" Then, let the conversation flow from there. Asking questions when a date says something relating to an area of interest of yours is a great way to get into a deeper conversation with your date while also showing interest in what your date is saying.
4. Challenge your date a little bit. Gently challenging your date will lead to a stimulating conversation. It shows your date you're interested and engaged in the conversation, and that you're not just a puppet who just nods and agrees with everything.
5. Keep your body language open at all times. Do not fold your arms. Do not pick at your nails when you are telling a story or talking. Look at your date directly in their eyes. Don't look in other directions. If you don't keep eye contact, your date will not only think you lack interest, but that you're looking at somebody else.
6. Bring your date "into your space." When you catch yourself leaning back, lean forward towards your date. When you tell a story, be animated. Whenever you talk to your date, use hand gestures and engaging body language. Face your date and hold your in front of you. By doing all of this, you're inviting your date into your personal area. Your date will notice this and know you're interested.
So many things about a date are subliminal. You can listen, be a good conversationalist, talk all day long, and get along easily with people. Doing all of these things, however, may still not mean that someone with whom you are out on a date will decipher you're level of interest.
“It's necessary to clearly express your interest (so that your date will know you're not just being courteous).”
It's necessary to clearly express your interest (so that your date will know you're not just being courteous).
If you struggle with knowing how to naturally and effectively show a date that you're interested in him/her, then following these tips will really help you to break through many of the challenges you've had in the past. You will also be pleasantly surprised at how much differently those interesting dates will act towards you!
There are many ways to express yourself during a date. You could, for instance, immediately try to kiss your date and attempt a long session of "sucking face"... but that isn't wise. While it will certainly convey your interest, it will probably give your date the wrong impression.
Clearly, then, there are better and worse ways to convey your interest to a date (with the above example being one of the "worse" options). So let's look at some more realistic (and better!) ways that you can let your date know that you're interested.
Here are six simple ways to show your date you're interested:
1. Lean toward your date. Body language plays a huge role in what you communicate to others. This is especially true on a date, where the person you're with will be paying a lot of attention to your body language. So, when you're on a date with someone who interests you, you need to let him/her know it with your body language. One of the best ways is to lean in towards your date.
“Lean in and smile. And when you're leaning in, look at your date directly in his/her eyes.”
Lean in and smile. And when you're leaning in, look at your date directly in his/her eyes.
2. Smile or laugh a bit when your date says something funny. While we all know it's important to listen to what your date is saying during a conversation, it's equally important to react to things that your date says that resonate with you. For instance, when your date is saying something funny, contribute to that part of the conversation. Keep the conversation rolling when it's on something funny and don't change the subject.
3. When your date says something intriguing, comment on it. When your date starts talking about a topic that is in an area of interest of yours, respond with questions and get more involved in that topic. Say, for instance you feel really passionate about an upcoming election and your date says "Well, I really don't think I'm going to bother voting." You can respond with something like "Wait a second. Why are you considering not voting?" Then, let the conversation flow from there. Asking questions when a date says something relating to an area of interest of yours is a great way to get into a deeper conversation with your date while also showing interest in what your date is saying.
4. Challenge your date a little bit. Gently challenging your date will lead to a stimulating conversation. It shows your date you're interested and engaged in the conversation, and that you're not just a puppet who just nods and agrees with everything.
5. Keep your body language open at all times. Do not fold your arms. Do not pick at your nails when you are telling a story or talking. Look at your date directly in their eyes. Don't look in other directions. If you don't keep eye contact, your date will not only think you lack interest, but that you're looking at somebody else.
6. Bring your date "into your space." When you catch yourself leaning back, lean forward towards your date. When you tell a story, be animated. Whenever you talk to your date, use hand gestures and engaging body language. Face your date and hold your in front of you. By doing all of this, you're inviting your date into your personal area. Your date will notice this and know you're interested.
So many things about a date are subliminal. You can listen, be a good conversationalist, talk all day long, and get along easily with people. Doing all of these things, however, may still not mean that someone with whom you are out on a date will decipher you're level of interest.
“It's necessary to clearly express your interest (so that your date will know you're not just being courteous).”
It's necessary to clearly express your interest (so that your date will know you're not just being courteous).
If you struggle with knowing how to naturally and effectively show a date that you're interested in him/her, then following these tips will really help you to break through many of the challenges you've had in the past. You will also be pleasantly surprised at how much differently those interesting dates will act towards you!
10 Fatal Online Dating Errors That Men Make
Some men have absolutely NO sense of etiquette when they're trying to contact women online. During all my years of coaching, women have told me some amazing things men have written to them in emails.
Many men feel they can just say anything in an email when they are trying to get a woman to go out with them. If they said those same things to a woman in a bar or on the street, they might get arrested, or at least slapped. But when they're hiding behind the secrecy of their computer, too many men get abrasive and crude.
Here's my list of 10 things NEVER to do when you're online trying to get a woman to go out with you. Some of these are obvious; some you'll swear I'm making up! But all of them are things men actually do.
Top 10 email turnoffs for women
1. Don't ask her how much she weighs or what her measurements are. You might as well just tell her you only want to sleep with her and you have no interest in getting to know her, because that's what she's going to think if you ask her this.
2. Don't email her seven times asking her why she hasn't responded to your first email. Women get far more email than men do, so you need to be patient.
“Instead of harassing her, relax and be confident that she's going to respond to you.”
Instead of harassing her, relax and be confident that she's going to respond to you.
3. Don't ask her how many other dates she's been on from Yahoo! Personals. How many other dates someone has been on is not important. What is important is finding out whether the two of you click when you hang out.
4. Don't send her a nasty email if she hasn't responded to you after several emails. It's her prerogative whether or not she desires to be in contact with you. If she doesn't want to meet you, why get angry and nasty? There are plenty of other women out there who you can contact.
5. Don't ask her if she wants to have sex with you on the second email exchange, and don't send her dirty pictures of you. Women are all about connecting with their minds. Just because you're looking for a quick fling, that doesn't mean she's going to respond.
6. If she gives you her phone number, don't wait a week to call her. By extension, if you do wait a week to call her and she doesn't call you back, don't be shocked. Women have many options online. If she gives you her phone number, I suggest calling her that day. It keeps the momentum going.
7. When asking for more pictures, do so without any references to "Can you please send me a picture so I can see your body?"
“Ask her if she'd like to exchange more pictures”
Ask her if she'd like to exchange more pictures, which means you send some and she sends some. Several women have complained to me that men ask them to send pictures of themselves in bikinis or other such things, so that men can see their body. Men, don't do this!
8. Don't get offended if she doesn't want to talk to you on the phone right away and/or wants to talk to you via email first to get to know you. You need to be flexible and open to her suggestions. Sometimes you may need to email back and forth for a week, and sometimes she'll give you her phone number right away. Either way, don't be rude.
9. Do not email-stalk her. Many of my clients who are single women have complained to me about men who will email them several times a day for three weeks, until they are forced to block emails from those men. Men, she got your email the very first time. She just may have chosen not to open it. By sending emails several times a day, not only are you turning her off, you're freaking her out! You've become an online stalker. That's a guarantee she'll never go out with you.
10. Don't send cut-and-paste emails. When connecting with her for the very first time, don't cut and paste an email message in July that you've been sending out for six months with a tagline that says, "I love the holidays." By doing that, she knows you didn't read her profile - and that you're really, really lazy!
Want to find out what works, check my Daily Dating Blog. If you need any more online dating tips, email me. I have another batch in my blog waiting for you to devour. I always enjoy hearing your comments.
Many men feel they can just say anything in an email when they are trying to get a woman to go out with them. If they said those same things to a woman in a bar or on the street, they might get arrested, or at least slapped. But when they're hiding behind the secrecy of their computer, too many men get abrasive and crude.
Here's my list of 10 things NEVER to do when you're online trying to get a woman to go out with you. Some of these are obvious; some you'll swear I'm making up! But all of them are things men actually do.
Top 10 email turnoffs for women
1. Don't ask her how much she weighs or what her measurements are. You might as well just tell her you only want to sleep with her and you have no interest in getting to know her, because that's what she's going to think if you ask her this.
2. Don't email her seven times asking her why she hasn't responded to your first email. Women get far more email than men do, so you need to be patient.
“Instead of harassing her, relax and be confident that she's going to respond to you.”
Instead of harassing her, relax and be confident that she's going to respond to you.
3. Don't ask her how many other dates she's been on from Yahoo! Personals. How many other dates someone has been on is not important. What is important is finding out whether the two of you click when you hang out.
4. Don't send her a nasty email if she hasn't responded to you after several emails. It's her prerogative whether or not she desires to be in contact with you. If she doesn't want to meet you, why get angry and nasty? There are plenty of other women out there who you can contact.
5. Don't ask her if she wants to have sex with you on the second email exchange, and don't send her dirty pictures of you. Women are all about connecting with their minds. Just because you're looking for a quick fling, that doesn't mean she's going to respond.
6. If she gives you her phone number, don't wait a week to call her. By extension, if you do wait a week to call her and she doesn't call you back, don't be shocked. Women have many options online. If she gives you her phone number, I suggest calling her that day. It keeps the momentum going.
7. When asking for more pictures, do so without any references to "Can you please send me a picture so I can see your body?"
“Ask her if she'd like to exchange more pictures”
Ask her if she'd like to exchange more pictures, which means you send some and she sends some. Several women have complained to me that men ask them to send pictures of themselves in bikinis or other such things, so that men can see their body. Men, don't do this!
8. Don't get offended if she doesn't want to talk to you on the phone right away and/or wants to talk to you via email first to get to know you. You need to be flexible and open to her suggestions. Sometimes you may need to email back and forth for a week, and sometimes she'll give you her phone number right away. Either way, don't be rude.
9. Do not email-stalk her. Many of my clients who are single women have complained to me about men who will email them several times a day for three weeks, until they are forced to block emails from those men. Men, she got your email the very first time. She just may have chosen not to open it. By sending emails several times a day, not only are you turning her off, you're freaking her out! You've become an online stalker. That's a guarantee she'll never go out with you.
10. Don't send cut-and-paste emails. When connecting with her for the very first time, don't cut and paste an email message in July that you've been sending out for six months with a tagline that says, "I love the holidays." By doing that, she knows you didn't read her profile - and that you're really, really lazy!
Want to find out what works, check my Daily Dating Blog. If you need any more online dating tips, email me. I have another batch in my blog waiting for you to devour. I always enjoy hearing your comments.
14 Fatal Online Dating Errors That Single Women Make
Mistakes that women make
Recently I was coaching a woman on how to write her profile for Yahoo! Personals. Before we wrote the profile, I asked her to send me her four best pictures.
I asked her to do this because men are as visual as Scooby Doo on steroids. The first thing they do when they see your profile online is NOT read about your trip to Italy last summer. They want to see how hot you are. Keep in mind that every man has different taste in women. What I find attractive, my friend may not find attractive at all.
So I explained this to my client, and I asked her to send me her four best photos -- pictures that represent who she is in her life. What she sent me is mistake #1 of the biggest mistakes women make online.
Here are the 14 biggest online dating mistakes women make:
1. Stop posting four different photos from four different stages in your life. This leaves a man wondering, "Who is this person?" I've looked through thousands of online profiles, and the majority of women will put up pictures from different stages of their life but not put up current pictures. All photos that you post on an online dating profile MUST BE CURRENT!!! He's going to find out what you look like when you meet, and there is no reason to lie about your looks.
2. Don't list your dislikes about Internet dating in bold, capital letters at the beginning of your profile. We've all had negative experiences online. Emphasize your positive points, not your negative ones.
3. List your exact body type. It seems like on the Internet EVERYBODY is "athletic and toned," "petite" or "fit and trim."
“He will find out what you look like!”
He will find out what you look like! You might as well tell the truth in your profile, so you'll have a qualified lead and not waste somebody's time.
4. List your real age. In the world of Internet dating, it seems like there's an abundance of 29- and 39-year-old women. "29" usually means somewhere in your 30's. And a woman who is "39" is usually in her 40's. Why start a potential relationship on a lie? Men are guilty of the same thing, and I advise them the same way.
5. I'm really glad you had a great time on your vacation, but you don't need to post 10 photos of your trip to Italy WITHOUT you in them. This is a dating site, not a trip advisor. Also, stop posting pictures of you skydiving, winter skiing, waterskiing, or doing anything else where we can't see what you look like in the picture.
6. Keep your profile short and to the point. Make your paragraphs very short. I've seen too many women's profiles that look like romance novels. Take a look at Yahoo! Sports and read an article in the sports section.
“All paragraphs are short so men can digest that information in short bursts.”
All paragraphs are short so men can digest that information in short bursts.
7. Don't be so self-absorbed. I've seen many women's profiles that say, "I want a man to be this," "I want a man to do that," "I want a man to cherish me," "I want a man to adore me"... You list all your "I wants" without listing what YOU will bring to the relationship. So you end up looking like you're a taker and not a giver. No man wants to be with a taker; he wants to be with someone who's equally willing to give and to receive.
8. Don't list your financial desires like you're posting a want ad. I've seen too many women write, "I'm looking for a man who will spoil me, buy me great things, and take me on great trips." You come across as a gold digger. Instead say, "I like the finer things in life to share with somebody," so you don't come across so harsh.
9. No baby talk! Even if the number one priority in your life is to be a mother, nothing scares a man off more than if you write in your profile about how badly you want kids. He may feel the same way, but he is going to think, "This woman will marry anybody to have kids." Write something a little more toned down like, "Families are important to me, and I can't wait to meet my special man so I can start a family." This shows you're selective and not just looking for someone with whom to make a kid.
10. Stop listing all your rules. Don't write things like "A perfect first date MUST be dinner" or "The man I date HAS to wear suits." Women tend to list rules in their profiles. Be open to a different kind of first date, or the kind of guy who wears jeans to work.
11. Stop sending winks. When is the last time you went to the supermarket, saw a cute guy and winked at him? Winks went out of style when "Happy Days" went off the air. You don't like it when men send you a wink. You think it makes him seem lazy and like he didn't read your profile. We think the same thing! So stop winking and start typing.
12. If you write to a man and he doesn't write you back, don't write a nasty follow-up email and ask him why he didn't write you back. If a man doesn't respond to you, it's the same thing as when you don't write a man back. It means that he is not interested. Don't get angry, just find another person.
13. We know you're looking at us, because we see that you've viewed our profile every day. Say "hello!" We're not going to bite. Lob that email in.
“Take a chance and send an email to the guy to whom you're most attracted.”
Take a chance and send an email to the guy to whom you're most attracted. You never know what might happen!
14. If a guy who you're interested in writes to you, stop playing games and write him back right away. Don't make him wait four days. He may find someone else in the time you wait to write him back. Keep the momentum going!
I have found when online dating that if you're honest about who you are, and you get back to people immediately, you'll get the date faster and avoid all the back and forth games that go on. Now go change that profile!
If you need any more online dating tips, email me. I have another 20 in my blog waiting for you to devour.
What are men's fatal online dating errors? See them here
Recently I was coaching a woman on how to write her profile for Yahoo! Personals. Before we wrote the profile, I asked her to send me her four best pictures.
I asked her to do this because men are as visual as Scooby Doo on steroids. The first thing they do when they see your profile online is NOT read about your trip to Italy last summer. They want to see how hot you are. Keep in mind that every man has different taste in women. What I find attractive, my friend may not find attractive at all.
So I explained this to my client, and I asked her to send me her four best photos -- pictures that represent who she is in her life. What she sent me is mistake #1 of the biggest mistakes women make online.
Here are the 14 biggest online dating mistakes women make:
1. Stop posting four different photos from four different stages in your life. This leaves a man wondering, "Who is this person?" I've looked through thousands of online profiles, and the majority of women will put up pictures from different stages of their life but not put up current pictures. All photos that you post on an online dating profile MUST BE CURRENT!!! He's going to find out what you look like when you meet, and there is no reason to lie about your looks.
2. Don't list your dislikes about Internet dating in bold, capital letters at the beginning of your profile. We've all had negative experiences online. Emphasize your positive points, not your negative ones.
3. List your exact body type. It seems like on the Internet EVERYBODY is "athletic and toned," "petite" or "fit and trim."
“He will find out what you look like!”
He will find out what you look like! You might as well tell the truth in your profile, so you'll have a qualified lead and not waste somebody's time.
4. List your real age. In the world of Internet dating, it seems like there's an abundance of 29- and 39-year-old women. "29" usually means somewhere in your 30's. And a woman who is "39" is usually in her 40's. Why start a potential relationship on a lie? Men are guilty of the same thing, and I advise them the same way.
5. I'm really glad you had a great time on your vacation, but you don't need to post 10 photos of your trip to Italy WITHOUT you in them. This is a dating site, not a trip advisor. Also, stop posting pictures of you skydiving, winter skiing, waterskiing, or doing anything else where we can't see what you look like in the picture.
6. Keep your profile short and to the point. Make your paragraphs very short. I've seen too many women's profiles that look like romance novels. Take a look at Yahoo! Sports and read an article in the sports section.
“All paragraphs are short so men can digest that information in short bursts.”
All paragraphs are short so men can digest that information in short bursts.
7. Don't be so self-absorbed. I've seen many women's profiles that say, "I want a man to be this," "I want a man to do that," "I want a man to cherish me," "I want a man to adore me"... You list all your "I wants" without listing what YOU will bring to the relationship. So you end up looking like you're a taker and not a giver. No man wants to be with a taker; he wants to be with someone who's equally willing to give and to receive.
8. Don't list your financial desires like you're posting a want ad. I've seen too many women write, "I'm looking for a man who will spoil me, buy me great things, and take me on great trips." You come across as a gold digger. Instead say, "I like the finer things in life to share with somebody," so you don't come across so harsh.
9. No baby talk! Even if the number one priority in your life is to be a mother, nothing scares a man off more than if you write in your profile about how badly you want kids. He may feel the same way, but he is going to think, "This woman will marry anybody to have kids." Write something a little more toned down like, "Families are important to me, and I can't wait to meet my special man so I can start a family." This shows you're selective and not just looking for someone with whom to make a kid.
10. Stop listing all your rules. Don't write things like "A perfect first date MUST be dinner" or "The man I date HAS to wear suits." Women tend to list rules in their profiles. Be open to a different kind of first date, or the kind of guy who wears jeans to work.
11. Stop sending winks. When is the last time you went to the supermarket, saw a cute guy and winked at him? Winks went out of style when "Happy Days" went off the air. You don't like it when men send you a wink. You think it makes him seem lazy and like he didn't read your profile. We think the same thing! So stop winking and start typing.
12. If you write to a man and he doesn't write you back, don't write a nasty follow-up email and ask him why he didn't write you back. If a man doesn't respond to you, it's the same thing as when you don't write a man back. It means that he is not interested. Don't get angry, just find another person.
13. We know you're looking at us, because we see that you've viewed our profile every day. Say "hello!" We're not going to bite. Lob that email in.
“Take a chance and send an email to the guy to whom you're most attracted.”
Take a chance and send an email to the guy to whom you're most attracted. You never know what might happen!
14. If a guy who you're interested in writes to you, stop playing games and write him back right away. Don't make him wait four days. He may find someone else in the time you wait to write him back. Keep the momentum going!
I have found when online dating that if you're honest about who you are, and you get back to people immediately, you'll get the date faster and avoid all the back and forth games that go on. Now go change that profile!
If you need any more online dating tips, email me. I have another 20 in my blog waiting for you to devour.
What are men's fatal online dating errors? See them here
Six Dating Behaviors That Scare Single Men Away
You're dating a guy, and it's the crucial first few weeks. You really like this guy, and you're wondering what you can do (or avoid doing) to keep this relationship going and not scare him away.
The truth is there are certain things that women can do that will scare men away. Don't sabotage a potentially great relationship that could have gone somewhere by scaring a man off right at the beginning.
Here are six dating behaviors guaranteed to scare men away:
1. Trash-talking your ex. Don't talk negatively about an ex-boyfriend in front of a guy you're dating. I don't care if you're on your first date or on your 15th date with a guy, don't ever trash-talk your ex. Your ex is somebody you dated, invited into your life, and with whom you spent a lot of time. So don't talk negatively about your ex in any way, because what a guy thinks when you do this is that if he ever becomes your ex that you're going to trash-talk him the same way. So, when a man asks you about your ex, you can politely say, "We are no longer together. It was a great relationship while it lasted, and I learned a lot." That's it.
2. Paranoia runs rampant. Here you are dating a man you really like, and the first couple of weeks are going well. Then, that first boys' night out happens. In the beginning, you send him a text that says, "Have a great time tonight!" As the night progresses, however, seeds of doubt start forming in your mind about what he's doing, and you start to think "Is he cheating on me? Is he flirting with other women? Where is he right now?" So then, you lob another text in to him asking "What's going on? What are you doing right now?" Even though he tells you he's just hanging out with his friends, you proceed to make a major blunder:
“You start checking up on him with continuous texts throughout the night. This paranoia will push a man away.”
You start checking up on him with continuous texts throughout the night. This paranoia will push a man away. So when you are dating a man and he's out with his friends, respect his "guy time" -- it will make you the cool woman he's always wanted to find.
3. Trash-talking other women. A huge mistake many women make is trash-talking other women in front of the man they're dating. For example, you are out with him when a woman walks by wearing a skimpy short skirt. You say, "Look how promiscuous that woman looks! I can't believe she is going around in public like that!" What you are doing when you make comments like this to a guy you're dating is telling him that you're not confident in the way you look. It tells him that you don't love who you are and haven't embraced your own body. You are planting a seed of doubt in him, causing him to wonder if he he should date someone else who is more confident (and tolerant). Don't trash-talk other women. It makes you look really insecure.
4. Fishing for compliments. This is something that can drive a man crazy. Here is a typical scenario: The guy you're dating looks at you and says, "You really look beautiful tonight!" Ten minutes later, you look at him and ask, "How do I look tonight?" Stop fishing for compliments. Real compliments come from the heart. Allow us to compliment you when we really mean it. If we don't give a compliment at the exact moment you desire it, just accept it and be OK with that.
5. Clingy and possessive. You don't need to do everything together. You're still getting to know him. If there are things he likes to do that simply don't interest you, be cool with it. You don't have to be joined at the hip. If you are going to a cocktail party together, you don't have to be next to him at every moment. If you see him speaking with some woman at the party, do not immediately run over and start grabbing his hand and giving him a big hug -- and certainly don't do this all night long. You are being clingy and possessive when you do this.
6. Pushing friends on him. Avoid pushing friends on us too soon. Example: A woman will hang out with a guy on the first or second date and say to him, "You have to meet my friends Jenna and Amy. You also have to meet my friends Phil and Anne; they're such a great couple, and you'll love them!" A man hears this and thinks, "I don't even know you yet. Can I get to know you for a month or two before I have to go meet all of your friends and be put on display as 'the boyfriend?'" We don't want to be "the boyfriend" right away. It's too much pressure. We want to get to know you slowly and learn what you're all about. Believe me, once we get to know you -- and like you -- we will be more willing to get to know all of your friends.
Following these tips will help you get past the first month of a new relationship with a man and avoid some of the major pitfalls that can end a new relationship before it even starts. Be the confident woman you really are so we have a chance to embrace you. Don't scare us off before we have a chance to get to know you!
The truth is there are certain things that women can do that will scare men away. Don't sabotage a potentially great relationship that could have gone somewhere by scaring a man off right at the beginning.
Here are six dating behaviors guaranteed to scare men away:
1. Trash-talking your ex. Don't talk negatively about an ex-boyfriend in front of a guy you're dating. I don't care if you're on your first date or on your 15th date with a guy, don't ever trash-talk your ex. Your ex is somebody you dated, invited into your life, and with whom you spent a lot of time. So don't talk negatively about your ex in any way, because what a guy thinks when you do this is that if he ever becomes your ex that you're going to trash-talk him the same way. So, when a man asks you about your ex, you can politely say, "We are no longer together. It was a great relationship while it lasted, and I learned a lot." That's it.
2. Paranoia runs rampant. Here you are dating a man you really like, and the first couple of weeks are going well. Then, that first boys' night out happens. In the beginning, you send him a text that says, "Have a great time tonight!" As the night progresses, however, seeds of doubt start forming in your mind about what he's doing, and you start to think "Is he cheating on me? Is he flirting with other women? Where is he right now?" So then, you lob another text in to him asking "What's going on? What are you doing right now?" Even though he tells you he's just hanging out with his friends, you proceed to make a major blunder:
“You start checking up on him with continuous texts throughout the night. This paranoia will push a man away.”
You start checking up on him with continuous texts throughout the night. This paranoia will push a man away. So when you are dating a man and he's out with his friends, respect his "guy time" -- it will make you the cool woman he's always wanted to find.
3. Trash-talking other women. A huge mistake many women make is trash-talking other women in front of the man they're dating. For example, you are out with him when a woman walks by wearing a skimpy short skirt. You say, "Look how promiscuous that woman looks! I can't believe she is going around in public like that!" What you are doing when you make comments like this to a guy you're dating is telling him that you're not confident in the way you look. It tells him that you don't love who you are and haven't embraced your own body. You are planting a seed of doubt in him, causing him to wonder if he he should date someone else who is more confident (and tolerant). Don't trash-talk other women. It makes you look really insecure.
4. Fishing for compliments. This is something that can drive a man crazy. Here is a typical scenario: The guy you're dating looks at you and says, "You really look beautiful tonight!" Ten minutes later, you look at him and ask, "How do I look tonight?" Stop fishing for compliments. Real compliments come from the heart. Allow us to compliment you when we really mean it. If we don't give a compliment at the exact moment you desire it, just accept it and be OK with that.
5. Clingy and possessive. You don't need to do everything together. You're still getting to know him. If there are things he likes to do that simply don't interest you, be cool with it. You don't have to be joined at the hip. If you are going to a cocktail party together, you don't have to be next to him at every moment. If you see him speaking with some woman at the party, do not immediately run over and start grabbing his hand and giving him a big hug -- and certainly don't do this all night long. You are being clingy and possessive when you do this.
6. Pushing friends on him. Avoid pushing friends on us too soon. Example: A woman will hang out with a guy on the first or second date and say to him, "You have to meet my friends Jenna and Amy. You also have to meet my friends Phil and Anne; they're such a great couple, and you'll love them!" A man hears this and thinks, "I don't even know you yet. Can I get to know you for a month or two before I have to go meet all of your friends and be put on display as 'the boyfriend?'" We don't want to be "the boyfriend" right away. It's too much pressure. We want to get to know you slowly and learn what you're all about. Believe me, once we get to know you -- and like you -- we will be more willing to get to know all of your friends.
Following these tips will help you get past the first month of a new relationship with a man and avoid some of the major pitfalls that can end a new relationship before it even starts. Be the confident woman you really are so we have a chance to embrace you. Don't scare us off before we have a chance to get to know you!
5 Times You Shouldn't Text Him
Firing off too many messages can kill a budding relationship. We tell you when to step away from the cell.
Casual electronic notes have become a huge part of dating, and experts speculate that texts have surpassed actual phone calls between many couples. So it's no wonder why you can find yourself with an itchy text-messaging trigger finger (or thumbs, rather) when in the throes of new love. But beware: There's such a thing as too much texting (what you might call TMT). "Overdoing it can freak guys out," says relationship expert Arlene Krieger, PhD. "They feel pressured into sending an instantaneous response."
There are several instances where texting can torpedo a relationship before it's barely gotten off the ground:
After your first few dates. It may be tempting to contact a guy after an amazing date, but resist the urge. "Reaching out lessens the thrill of the chase for him," says psychologist Diana Kirschner, PhD, author of the upcoming book Love in 90 Days.
When you're drunk. Since phones don't come with Breathalyzers, it's up to you to stop yourself from sending a tipsy message — especially one that suggests you two meet up ASAP. "Being too available lets a guy know he has all the leverage," Krieger says.
When you're angry. It's annoying when a guy flakes, but sending a "Why haven't you called me?!" inquiry makes you look massively insecure. Avoid angry texts once you're in a relationship too. "When it's in writing, you can't easily take it back," Kirschner says. It's even smart to ban bitchy humor, which can sound meaner than it is.
When you're trying to be funny. "When relayed nonverbally, sarcasm and joking can come off as aggressive," according to Kirschner. A dude could read a message like "OMG, you were out of control last night" literally, which makes you sound pissed when you were actually just fondly remembering his funny behavior.
When you've already texted him that day. Once you're in an ongoing relationship, you may be tempted to rely on texting as a regular form of communication, and there's nothing wrong with staying in touch that way sometimes. But electronic communication discourages phone conversations and one-on-one time. Also, guys like brief updates, not a blow-by-blow of your life.
Casual electronic notes have become a huge part of dating, and experts speculate that texts have surpassed actual phone calls between many couples. So it's no wonder why you can find yourself with an itchy text-messaging trigger finger (or thumbs, rather) when in the throes of new love. But beware: There's such a thing as too much texting (what you might call TMT). "Overdoing it can freak guys out," says relationship expert Arlene Krieger, PhD. "They feel pressured into sending an instantaneous response."
There are several instances where texting can torpedo a relationship before it's barely gotten off the ground:
After your first few dates. It may be tempting to contact a guy after an amazing date, but resist the urge. "Reaching out lessens the thrill of the chase for him," says psychologist Diana Kirschner, PhD, author of the upcoming book Love in 90 Days.
When you're drunk. Since phones don't come with Breathalyzers, it's up to you to stop yourself from sending a tipsy message — especially one that suggests you two meet up ASAP. "Being too available lets a guy know he has all the leverage," Krieger says.
When you're angry. It's annoying when a guy flakes, but sending a "Why haven't you called me?!" inquiry makes you look massively insecure. Avoid angry texts once you're in a relationship too. "When it's in writing, you can't easily take it back," Kirschner says. It's even smart to ban bitchy humor, which can sound meaner than it is.
When you're trying to be funny. "When relayed nonverbally, sarcasm and joking can come off as aggressive," according to Kirschner. A dude could read a message like "OMG, you were out of control last night" literally, which makes you sound pissed when you were actually just fondly remembering his funny behavior.
When you've already texted him that day. Once you're in an ongoing relationship, you may be tempted to rely on texting as a regular form of communication, and there's nothing wrong with staying in touch that way sometimes. But electronic communication discourages phone conversations and one-on-one time. Also, guys like brief updates, not a blow-by-blow of your life.
Dating 101: Four Things Never to Utter Around Him
Some subjects of conversation will make a dude's eyes glaze over in boredom, put him on the defensive... or even leave him questioning your sanity.
Here's a dating mystery we're dying to crack: Why is it that even when we guys open up and clue a girl in to our thoughts and experiences, you ladies insist on pushing for more and more intimate info? It's hard for us to relate to your wanting to know everything about us, because even the most love-bitten man doesn't feel the need to be in on every detail about his girl. In fact, certain topics are actually major turnoffs and produce the same skin-crawling effect as hearing fingernails raked across a blackboard. So unless you want your man to secretly wish you came with a mute button, save the following taboo topics for your girlfriends, your mom or your therapist... just not your guy.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:
Five Times You Shouldn't Text Him
Intimacy Tips From Guys
Turnoff #1: The Lowdown on Celeb Dirt
"Whenever my girlfriend gets control of the remote, she switches to a gossip channel and goes on about how lucky Cameron Diaz is or how Drew Barrymore lost 10 pounds. Geez, get a freaking life!" -- Paul, 27
"My ex-girlfriend was obsessed with Brad Pitt. She knew more about his life than Angelina Jolie does. Whenever he had a movie coming out, I never heard the end of it. I felt like I was dating a stalker, not to mention the fact that it didn't do wonders for my ego. Brad isn't exactly the worst-looking guy in the world." -- Donald, 26
"I met this really gorgeous British woman at a bookstore, so I invited her to have coffee with me. When I got back to the table with our drinks, she was sitting there with a pile of foreign gossip rags in front of her. Before I knew what hit me, she was talking my ear off about Prince Charles and a bunch of other royals I didn't know and couldn't care less about. I was absolutely bored out of my mind. Well, so much for the theory that smart women hang out in bookstores." -- Andrew, 25
Turnoff #2: Your Ex Files
"I took my old girlfriend to a cute bed-and-breakfast for the weekend, and all she could talk about was how her previous boyfriend had taken her to Paris for a long weekend. Whatever happened to thank you? No wonder we both dumped her." -- Ben, 28
"My girlfriend and I were having brunch one Sunday when we ran into her ex-boyfriend. After he left, she started telling me all about some cross-country trip they took when they were in college. I know there's nothing going on between them, but that doesn't mean I want to hear about the good old days. She should save the reminiscing for her girlfriends." -- Lewis, 27
"My girl asked me to help her put together some do-it-yourself furniture that she'd bought, and I was a total disaster. That's when she went on and on about how good her ex was with tools. The story I enjoyed most was about how he built her a special magazine rack... which, of course, she still has. Now every time I see that thing, I want to break it. I admitted I am no good at this kind of fix-it stuff, so I don't know why she felt the need to rub it in by telling me her ex was the second coming of Bob Vila." -- Ray, 30
Turnoff #3: Your Bad Body Image and Food Issues
"First it was the grapefruit diet. Then it was Jenny Craig. Now it's the Fatkins thing. My girlfriend tries a new diet about once a month, and she explains how she's convinced that this is the one that's going to help her lose weight. I always remind her that the reason I asked her out in the first place is because I think she's beautiful. I wouldn't be attracted to her if she looked like a string bean." -- Derek, 29
"I can never do anything spontaneous with my girl because she won't leave the house unless she looks perfect. It takes longer for her to get ready for dinner than it does for us to actually go out and eat it. First she asks if I like her outfit. Next she asks how her makeup looks. Then she drops the fun-crusher on me: 'Do I look fat?' I get so aggravated. Don't ask for my opinion if you don't want it. By the time she's ready to leave, the evening is already ruined because I'm in such a pissed-off mood." -- Andy, 33
Turnoff #4: Other People's Relationships
"My old girlfriend would gush about how romantic it was that her roommate's boyfriend got down on one knee when he proposed to her. Then she'd tell me every freakin' detail about the wedding plans, from the dress to the cake to the invitations. I didn't really know these people, and I hate hearing about mushy stuff anyway, especially if it has nothing to do with me. I just tuned it all out." -- Steve, 36
"My girlfriend never stops talking about how great her sister's life is. I'm so tired of hearing about her perfect brother-in-law and her two adorable nephews. It's so obvious that she's using the conversation as a steppingstone to talk about when we're going to get married." -- Rob, 36
"My girlfriend loves telling me about how her best friend treats her boyfriend like a pile of garbage, flirting with other guys when he isn't around and spending hours on her laptop to email her exes. I don't want to know the nitty-gritty, because then I feel awkward when I'm around him. Besides, it makes me wonder if my girl is bad-mouthing me behind my back." -- Will, 25
Here's a dating mystery we're dying to crack: Why is it that even when we guys open up and clue a girl in to our thoughts and experiences, you ladies insist on pushing for more and more intimate info? It's hard for us to relate to your wanting to know everything about us, because even the most love-bitten man doesn't feel the need to be in on every detail about his girl. In fact, certain topics are actually major turnoffs and produce the same skin-crawling effect as hearing fingernails raked across a blackboard. So unless you want your man to secretly wish you came with a mute button, save the following taboo topics for your girlfriends, your mom or your therapist... just not your guy.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:
Five Times You Shouldn't Text Him
Intimacy Tips From Guys
Turnoff #1: The Lowdown on Celeb Dirt
"Whenever my girlfriend gets control of the remote, she switches to a gossip channel and goes on about how lucky Cameron Diaz is or how Drew Barrymore lost 10 pounds. Geez, get a freaking life!" -- Paul, 27
"My ex-girlfriend was obsessed with Brad Pitt. She knew more about his life than Angelina Jolie does. Whenever he had a movie coming out, I never heard the end of it. I felt like I was dating a stalker, not to mention the fact that it didn't do wonders for my ego. Brad isn't exactly the worst-looking guy in the world." -- Donald, 26
"I met this really gorgeous British woman at a bookstore, so I invited her to have coffee with me. When I got back to the table with our drinks, she was sitting there with a pile of foreign gossip rags in front of her. Before I knew what hit me, she was talking my ear off about Prince Charles and a bunch of other royals I didn't know and couldn't care less about. I was absolutely bored out of my mind. Well, so much for the theory that smart women hang out in bookstores." -- Andrew, 25
Turnoff #2: Your Ex Files
"I took my old girlfriend to a cute bed-and-breakfast for the weekend, and all she could talk about was how her previous boyfriend had taken her to Paris for a long weekend. Whatever happened to thank you? No wonder we both dumped her." -- Ben, 28
"My girlfriend and I were having brunch one Sunday when we ran into her ex-boyfriend. After he left, she started telling me all about some cross-country trip they took when they were in college. I know there's nothing going on between them, but that doesn't mean I want to hear about the good old days. She should save the reminiscing for her girlfriends." -- Lewis, 27
"My girl asked me to help her put together some do-it-yourself furniture that she'd bought, and I was a total disaster. That's when she went on and on about how good her ex was with tools. The story I enjoyed most was about how he built her a special magazine rack... which, of course, she still has. Now every time I see that thing, I want to break it. I admitted I am no good at this kind of fix-it stuff, so I don't know why she felt the need to rub it in by telling me her ex was the second coming of Bob Vila." -- Ray, 30
Turnoff #3: Your Bad Body Image and Food Issues
"First it was the grapefruit diet. Then it was Jenny Craig. Now it's the Fatkins thing. My girlfriend tries a new diet about once a month, and she explains how she's convinced that this is the one that's going to help her lose weight. I always remind her that the reason I asked her out in the first place is because I think she's beautiful. I wouldn't be attracted to her if she looked like a string bean." -- Derek, 29
"I can never do anything spontaneous with my girl because she won't leave the house unless she looks perfect. It takes longer for her to get ready for dinner than it does for us to actually go out and eat it. First she asks if I like her outfit. Next she asks how her makeup looks. Then she drops the fun-crusher on me: 'Do I look fat?' I get so aggravated. Don't ask for my opinion if you don't want it. By the time she's ready to leave, the evening is already ruined because I'm in such a pissed-off mood." -- Andy, 33
Turnoff #4: Other People's Relationships
"My old girlfriend would gush about how romantic it was that her roommate's boyfriend got down on one knee when he proposed to her. Then she'd tell me every freakin' detail about the wedding plans, from the dress to the cake to the invitations. I didn't really know these people, and I hate hearing about mushy stuff anyway, especially if it has nothing to do with me. I just tuned it all out." -- Steve, 36
"My girlfriend never stops talking about how great her sister's life is. I'm so tired of hearing about her perfect brother-in-law and her two adorable nephews. It's so obvious that she's using the conversation as a steppingstone to talk about when we're going to get married." -- Rob, 36
"My girlfriend loves telling me about how her best friend treats her boyfriend like a pile of garbage, flirting with other guys when he isn't around and spending hours on her laptop to email her exes. I don't want to know the nitty-gritty, because then I feel awkward when I'm around him. Besides, it makes me wonder if my girl is bad-mouthing me behind my back." -- Will, 25
How to Tell if a Guy Is Cheating
John Edwards isn't the only man to stray when he already has a fabulous woman by his side. Do the headlines have you spooked? Here are the surprising signs a dude is being unfaithful.
1. He’s superprotective of his gadgets. “The main way that trysts are found out is through the discovery of incriminating e-mails, IM chats, cell phone texts or bills,” says Belisa Vranich, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City. So if he’s being unfaithful, he may guard his gadgets or act really defensive when you innocently touch his phone or computer. It should be a giant red flag if he readily gave you passwords in the past, and now he’s more evasive.
2. He steps up the grooming. “This is so obvious, but it’s a sign many women miss: If your man starts grooming down there without you requesting it, that could be an indication that he’s spending more time naked,” says Vranich. You can actually thank porn for this tipoff. Guys today are used to viewing manscaped dudes onscreen, so if he has another chick to impress with his sexual prowess, he may emulate those ultra-trimmed guys. Another clue: He’s spending more time at the gym.
3. He smells different. “When he comes home, if he doesn’t smell the same as he did in the morning, and it isn’t the scent of soap in the gym or at your home, it may be because he’s showered at her place,” offers Vranich. So pay attention, because in this case, that old saying “the nose knows” might very well be true.
4. Nothing fazes him anymore. “If he was short-tempered before, a combination of added sex and attention could be making him way more relaxed, even downright giddy,” Vranich says. Adds Mira Kirshenbaum, author of When Good People Have Affairs: Inside the Hearts and Minds of People in Two Relationships: “If your guy is suddenly going around all happy and whistling, then you need to find out why.”
5. He becomes suspicious of you. “If he’s normally a mellow type, all of a sudden he may want to know where you are all the time and with whom,” says Vranich. “It’s the result of him realizing that if he’s cheating and it’s not that hard, you might also be getting away with it.” Also, beware of extremely detailed responses to even your most innocent “How was work today?” queries. He may be preparing epic answers because he’s terrified of getting caught.
One caveat: If your sex life hasn’t fallen off, that’s no guarantee that he’s faithful. “It’s a serious mistake to think that affairs are necessarily sexual. He may just be unhappy in other parts of the relationship,” says Kirshenbaum. In fact, an illicit relationship could even stoke his lust for you.
1. He’s superprotective of his gadgets. “The main way that trysts are found out is through the discovery of incriminating e-mails, IM chats, cell phone texts or bills,” says Belisa Vranich, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City. So if he’s being unfaithful, he may guard his gadgets or act really defensive when you innocently touch his phone or computer. It should be a giant red flag if he readily gave you passwords in the past, and now he’s more evasive.
2. He steps up the grooming. “This is so obvious, but it’s a sign many women miss: If your man starts grooming down there without you requesting it, that could be an indication that he’s spending more time naked,” says Vranich. You can actually thank porn for this tipoff. Guys today are used to viewing manscaped dudes onscreen, so if he has another chick to impress with his sexual prowess, he may emulate those ultra-trimmed guys. Another clue: He’s spending more time at the gym.
3. He smells different. “When he comes home, if he doesn’t smell the same as he did in the morning, and it isn’t the scent of soap in the gym or at your home, it may be because he’s showered at her place,” offers Vranich. So pay attention, because in this case, that old saying “the nose knows” might very well be true.
4. Nothing fazes him anymore. “If he was short-tempered before, a combination of added sex and attention could be making him way more relaxed, even downright giddy,” Vranich says. Adds Mira Kirshenbaum, author of When Good People Have Affairs: Inside the Hearts and Minds of People in Two Relationships: “If your guy is suddenly going around all happy and whistling, then you need to find out why.”
5. He becomes suspicious of you. “If he’s normally a mellow type, all of a sudden he may want to know where you are all the time and with whom,” says Vranich. “It’s the result of him realizing that if he’s cheating and it’s not that hard, you might also be getting away with it.” Also, beware of extremely detailed responses to even your most innocent “How was work today?” queries. He may be preparing epic answers because he’s terrified of getting caught.
One caveat: If your sex life hasn’t fallen off, that’s no guarantee that he’s faithful. “It’s a serious mistake to think that affairs are necessarily sexual. He may just be unhappy in other parts of the relationship,” says Kirshenbaum. In fact, an illicit relationship could even stoke his lust for you.
5 Signs He's About to Propose
Want to know if you could be getting engaged soon? Here, the sneaky hints that your boyfriend is about to put a ring on it.
1. He's extra helpful.
If your guy shows a sudden interest in doing dishes or picking out sheets at Bed, Bath & Beyond, he may be trying to prove he's husband material. "Before he pops the question, he'll subconsciously seek out ways to show off his domestic side," says Tamsen Fadal, co-author of Why Hasn't He Proposed? "He wants to make sure you see him as a partner who pulls his weight."
2. He talks himself up.
Even though you have a career of your own and can take care of yourself, most men still want to be on solid financial footing (good job, decent salary, clear credit) before getting engaged. "It's instinctual for men to want to provide for their partner," says Les Parrott, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Crazy Good Sex. "So they'll frequently point out their ability to do so in the weeks leading up to an engagement." That means he may brag a little about an accomplishment at work or casually hint that he's receiving a larger than usual bonus.
3. He acts like you just started dating.
Think back to the past few weeks. Has your guy been unusually attentive? Maybe he's brought you just-because flowers or taken you out on elaborate dates. "He's pulling out all the stops to make sure that when the time comes, you say yes," explains Fadal. Yeah, it's a tad sneaky, but he's also making those gestures because he's genuinely excited about the possibility of marrying you. "Planning a proposal reignites that new love buzz for a lot of men," says Parrott.
4. He quizzes you.
When it comes to the actual will-you-marry-me moment, most guys want it to be as personal and meaningful as possible. That may require digging up some little-known facts about you. If your boyfriend has been asking random questions about things like your favorite flower or a childhood memory, he may be gathering info that will help him plan the perfect proposal. "Not only does he want it to be special for you, but he knows all of your friends will ask, 'How did he do it?', and he wants you to have an amazing story to tell," says Parrott.
5. He's really concerned about the details.
On the big day, you can bet your guy will be ridiculously nervous. "Even if he's certain you'll say yes, he's still anxious about whether or not he'll be able to pull off whatever it is that he has planned," says Parrott. If he's typically laid-back but freaks out about being on time to dinner, or he's borderline aggressive when he insists you order the chocolate cake for dessert, it's possible he's got something sparkly up his sleeve ... or least in a little box in his pocket.
Signs He's Proposing ... Right Now
# You take a bite of dessert and start choking on something round and hard as a, uh, rock.
# There's a large bulge in his front pants pocket, and it's not that kind.
# Your left hand suddenly feels heavier.
# He's down on one knee ... and he's not wearing shoes with laces.
1. He's extra helpful.
If your guy shows a sudden interest in doing dishes or picking out sheets at Bed, Bath & Beyond, he may be trying to prove he's husband material. "Before he pops the question, he'll subconsciously seek out ways to show off his domestic side," says Tamsen Fadal, co-author of Why Hasn't He Proposed? "He wants to make sure you see him as a partner who pulls his weight."
2. He talks himself up.
Even though you have a career of your own and can take care of yourself, most men still want to be on solid financial footing (good job, decent salary, clear credit) before getting engaged. "It's instinctual for men to want to provide for their partner," says Les Parrott, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Crazy Good Sex. "So they'll frequently point out their ability to do so in the weeks leading up to an engagement." That means he may brag a little about an accomplishment at work or casually hint that he's receiving a larger than usual bonus.
3. He acts like you just started dating.
Think back to the past few weeks. Has your guy been unusually attentive? Maybe he's brought you just-because flowers or taken you out on elaborate dates. "He's pulling out all the stops to make sure that when the time comes, you say yes," explains Fadal. Yeah, it's a tad sneaky, but he's also making those gestures because he's genuinely excited about the possibility of marrying you. "Planning a proposal reignites that new love buzz for a lot of men," says Parrott.
4. He quizzes you.
When it comes to the actual will-you-marry-me moment, most guys want it to be as personal and meaningful as possible. That may require digging up some little-known facts about you. If your boyfriend has been asking random questions about things like your favorite flower or a childhood memory, he may be gathering info that will help him plan the perfect proposal. "Not only does he want it to be special for you, but he knows all of your friends will ask, 'How did he do it?', and he wants you to have an amazing story to tell," says Parrott.
5. He's really concerned about the details.
On the big day, you can bet your guy will be ridiculously nervous. "Even if he's certain you'll say yes, he's still anxious about whether or not he'll be able to pull off whatever it is that he has planned," says Parrott. If he's typically laid-back but freaks out about being on time to dinner, or he's borderline aggressive when he insists you order the chocolate cake for dessert, it's possible he's got something sparkly up his sleeve ... or least in a little box in his pocket.
Signs He's Proposing ... Right Now
# You take a bite of dessert and start choking on something round and hard as a, uh, rock.
# There's a large bulge in his front pants pocket, and it's not that kind.
# Your left hand suddenly feels heavier.
# He's down on one knee ... and he's not wearing shoes with laces.
Dating Advice: 5 Traits That Bag a Boyfriend
If you've been in a relationship dry spell, it may not be due to a lack of good men, but rather because you're not living up to your girlfriend potential. Here, what brings the boys to the yard.
Mario Lopez confessed, "I'm not really working on trying to find Ms. Right. I'm kind of working on being Mr. Right, and it will happen." It got me thinking: Not only is Mario gorgeous, he's also insightful. And dating experts agree: Before you go looking for your other half, you may want to work on yourself first.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:
* Intimacy Tips From Guys
* Why Guys Dump Girls They Dig
Here are the qualities that make you more desirable to guys. Think of it as your pre-dating to-do list.
1. You're just that into yourself. A woman may have smarts, sensual appeal, and a sense of humor, but if she doesn't have self-confidence, most guys will take a pass. Single women with low self-esteem come across as extremely needy, explains Jim Houran, PhD, relationship psychologist. They have to be the center of attention and are constantly looking for reassurance and compliments. And even if you find a guy who at first is willing to be your personal cheerleader, before long he's probably going to start to agree with all the demeaning stuff you say about yourself and take a hike.
Surprisingly, the way to show you aren't that girl isn't necessarily to promote yourself, but rather to simply display interest and curiosity in the guy, says Houran. He'll take that willingness to share the spotlight and put someone besides yourself first as a sign of confidence.
2. You've got a burning passion... and not just for him. Whether it's a hobby, a job, classes, or a buzzing social life, single men are undeniably attracted to women with clear interests and lots of enthusiasm, according to Houran. It's as easy as dropping a few subtle hints about, say, the adventure you and your friends went on last weekend or how psyched you are to be on a new project at work. The benefits are twofold: The guy won't feel totally responsible for your happiness -- a huge weight to put on a new love interest -- and he'll be more inclined to want to be a part of your multifaceted life.
3. You know how to compromise. This is one of the most important skills to have if you're looking to get into a long-term relationship, emphasizes Houran.
“Being flexible is a huge turn-on to guys, since it means less conflict and a smoother partnership in general”
Being flexible is a huge turn-on to guys, since it means less conflict and a smoother partnership in general, he adds. If a guy senses that the girl he's dating isn't willing to try to meet both their needs, he envisions a future of trivial disagreements, fighting, and ultimatums -- not exactly the makings of a happy twosome. Prove you know how to compromise early on by letting him weigh in on the restaurant choice or not acting annoyed if he needs to reschedule plans.
4. You dress for guys, not girls. If you're not turning heads, it could be because you dress to appeal to a woman's taste and not a man's taste. Skinny jeans, babydoll dresses, peasant tops -- all super cute, but you might as well be wearing a Snuggie. Men want to see curves, so stick with boot-cut jeans and a top that shows off your shoulders and waist. Just don't reveal too much, since that can come off as desperate.
5. You're over your ex. Nothing kills a budding romance quicker than being hung up on an old boyfriend. So before you get serious with a new guy, make sure you're not hoping -- or worse, trying -- to get back together with the ex or looking for someone just like him. It's relationship-repelling for two reasons: No eligible bachelor wants to feel like he's in an unwinnable competition, and if you're living in the past, you won't truly be motivated to meet and make a connection with new guys. So ladies, move on and get an upgrade.
Mario Lopez confessed, "I'm not really working on trying to find Ms. Right. I'm kind of working on being Mr. Right, and it will happen." It got me thinking: Not only is Mario gorgeous, he's also insightful. And dating experts agree: Before you go looking for your other half, you may want to work on yourself first.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:
* Intimacy Tips From Guys
* Why Guys Dump Girls They Dig
Here are the qualities that make you more desirable to guys. Think of it as your pre-dating to-do list.
1. You're just that into yourself. A woman may have smarts, sensual appeal, and a sense of humor, but if she doesn't have self-confidence, most guys will take a pass. Single women with low self-esteem come across as extremely needy, explains Jim Houran, PhD, relationship psychologist. They have to be the center of attention and are constantly looking for reassurance and compliments. And even if you find a guy who at first is willing to be your personal cheerleader, before long he's probably going to start to agree with all the demeaning stuff you say about yourself and take a hike.
Surprisingly, the way to show you aren't that girl isn't necessarily to promote yourself, but rather to simply display interest and curiosity in the guy, says Houran. He'll take that willingness to share the spotlight and put someone besides yourself first as a sign of confidence.
2. You've got a burning passion... and not just for him. Whether it's a hobby, a job, classes, or a buzzing social life, single men are undeniably attracted to women with clear interests and lots of enthusiasm, according to Houran. It's as easy as dropping a few subtle hints about, say, the adventure you and your friends went on last weekend or how psyched you are to be on a new project at work. The benefits are twofold: The guy won't feel totally responsible for your happiness -- a huge weight to put on a new love interest -- and he'll be more inclined to want to be a part of your multifaceted life.
3. You know how to compromise. This is one of the most important skills to have if you're looking to get into a long-term relationship, emphasizes Houran.
“Being flexible is a huge turn-on to guys, since it means less conflict and a smoother partnership in general”
Being flexible is a huge turn-on to guys, since it means less conflict and a smoother partnership in general, he adds. If a guy senses that the girl he's dating isn't willing to try to meet both their needs, he envisions a future of trivial disagreements, fighting, and ultimatums -- not exactly the makings of a happy twosome. Prove you know how to compromise early on by letting him weigh in on the restaurant choice or not acting annoyed if he needs to reschedule plans.
4. You dress for guys, not girls. If you're not turning heads, it could be because you dress to appeal to a woman's taste and not a man's taste. Skinny jeans, babydoll dresses, peasant tops -- all super cute, but you might as well be wearing a Snuggie. Men want to see curves, so stick with boot-cut jeans and a top that shows off your shoulders and waist. Just don't reveal too much, since that can come off as desperate.
5. You're over your ex. Nothing kills a budding romance quicker than being hung up on an old boyfriend. So before you get serious with a new guy, make sure you're not hoping -- or worse, trying -- to get back together with the ex or looking for someone just like him. It's relationship-repelling for two reasons: No eligible bachelor wants to feel like he's in an unwinnable competition, and if you're living in the past, you won't truly be motivated to meet and make a connection with new guys. So ladies, move on and get an upgrade.
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